Delta Air Lines said it will begin reducing some flights on Nov. 7 while maintaining access to all the cities it currently serves.

“We’re operating the vast majority of our schedule and intend to keep access to all of the markets we serve, though frequency may be affected,” the airline said in a statement on Nov. 6.

The move follows the Department of Transportation's 10% reduction in flights across 40 major U.S. airports to provide relief to the air traffic controllers who have been working without pay during the government shutdown, announced by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at a news conference on Nov. 5. The cuts are slated to begin at 4% on Nov. 7, and rise each day until reaching 10% next week.

The news sent airlines scrambling to rework their schedules right before the busy holiday travel season, with many travelers concerned about delays or cancellations for their upcoming flights. United Airlines also began its cancellations for the weekend on Thursday, saying less than 200 daily flights will be impacted.

To minimize last-minute disruptions, Delta said it is treating these reductions similarly to how it would handle weather-related events. The carrier plans to cancel flights a day in advance so travelers have time to rebook before arriving at the airport. That approach is meant to reduce crowding and prevent day-of-travel surprises.

Delta said it expects to cancel approximately 170 flights on Friday, Nov. 7, across both Delta and Delta Connection services. Saturday, Nov. 8, should see fewer cancellations, the airline said, because demand and daily departures are typically lower on weekends. Delta operates about 5,000 flights a day system-wide.

A travel waiver is now in place to offer customers additional flexibility to rebook without change fees.

What will airlines do if my flight is cancelled?

If your flight has been canceled, airlines will try to rebook you automatically. But cancellation patterns may be different than those during weather events. Carriers could cancel entire round-trip loops to keep planes and crew where they need to be, said Professor Ahmed Abdelghany, associate dean for research at the David B. O’Maley College of Business in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

“Canceling the round trip does not strand aircraft or crew; it just keeps them on the ground until needed later,” Abdelghany said.

If automatic rebooking options don’t work, call, use online chat or reach out via social media — and do it quickly, as seats fill fast during high disruption periods.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Delta Air Lines cuts 170 Friday flights amid FAA announcement

Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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