SFO Passengers Facing Delays Over Air Traffic Controller Cuts
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS/AP) -- Some fliers headed to Los Angeles International Airport, and other destinations were met with long delays on the first day of staffing cuts for air traffic controllers because of government spending reductions.
The Federal Aviation administration said on its website late Sunday that cuts were causing delays averaging more than three hours for flights arriving LAX.
The agency did not say how many flights were affected.
Airport spokesman Marshall Lowe says about 70 flights had delays of about an hour or more Sunday, but could not say the role staffing played.
Passengers in San Francisco were also delayed due to the cuts according to Delta Airlines.
Delays were expected to get worse later on Monday.
Budget cuts that kicked in last month forced the FAA to give controllers extra days off. The agency said planes will have to take off and land less frequently to avoid overloading the remaining controllers.
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