Friday, November 7, 2025

Flight Cuts at LAX, Ontario, San Diego May Ripple to Pasadena-Linked Hollywood Burbank Airport

City News Service Contributed to this Story

A federal mandate to reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports nationwide beginning Friday, Nov. 7, is expected to disrupt travel at Los Angeles International (LAX), Ontario International (ONT), and San Diego International (SAN) airports — with potential secondary impacts on Hollywood Burbank Airport, which is jointly operated by Pasadena through the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.

The reductions, announced Wednesday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, are a response to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers caused by the ongoing federal government shutdown, now in its 38th day. Controllers are classified as essential personnel and have continued working without pay since the shutdown began Oct. 1.

“This is data-based,” Duffy said during a Washington, D.C., press conference. “This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure.” He added that disruptions are likely to increase and that the department is coordinating with airlines to minimize passenger impact.

FlightAware, a real-time air travel tracking service, reported Thursday that 19 outbound and 17 inbound flights at LAX scheduled for Friday had already been canceled. Ontario reported four cancellations for Friday, while San Diego had 16 inbound and outbound cancellations combined. All three airports are commonly used by Pasadena-area travelers, especially for long-haul and international routes.

Hollywood Burbank Airport, located roughly 15 miles from Pasadena, is not on the FAA’s list of affected airports. However, the airport experienced a significant shutdown-related disruption on Oct. 6, when its control tower was left completely unmanned for nearly six hours due to staffing shortages. During that period, operations were handled remotely by Southern California TRACON in San Diego. FAA spokesperson Kristen Alsop confirmed staffing shortages were the main issue contributing to delays that day, which included more than 80 delayed flights and 12 cancellations.

Despite this incident, the FAA has not publicly explained why Burbank was excluded from the list of 40 airports facing reductions. Officials have not released detailed selection criteria, prompting questions about methodology and transparency.

The five California airports confirmed to be on the FAA’s list are LAX, ONT, SAN, Oakland International (OAK), and San Francisco International (SFO). Reductions at these hubs could affect connecting service and passenger traffic at Burbank.

Airlines have begun issuing advisories and offering flexible rebooking options:

• United Airlines stated on its website that passengers flying between Nov. 6 and 13 may request refunds or reschedule at no cost.
• Southwest Airlines said most customers will not be affected but offered refunds or itinerary changes for all travelers booked through Nov. 12.
• Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines also confirmed schedule adjustments and refund policies for significantly delayed or canceled flights.

The shutdown, driven by a partisan dispute over the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, has led to widespread operational strain across the aviation sector. Senate negotiations are ongoing, with leaders signaling cautious optimism about a resolution.

Pasadena residents traveling through regional airports are advised to check flight status directly with airlines and allow extra time for potential delays.