SLC International Airport bracing for impacts amid air traffic reduction

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) —The Salt Lake City International Airport is on the list of 40 major airports released by the US Department of Transportation with planned air traffic reductions starting Friday.

According to the department, air traffic will be reduced by 4%, but will eventually increase to 10% depending on how long the government remains shutdown.

In a press release Thursday, the SLC airport said the airport “will continue to coordinate with our airlines and other partners to provide updates when available.”

An airport spokesperson told ABC4 News that they are “unclear to what extent SLC will be affected.”

However, on Wednesday, the airport’s executive director Bill Wyatt foreshadowed the upcoming challenges heading into Thanksgiving, during an interview with ABC4 News.

“This is frankly only going to get worse until the matter is fully resolved,” Wyatt said. “It’s going to be pretty chaotic if it lasts that long to be honest because then you’re talking about people who’ve been working for north of a month without compensation and most people in jobs of this kind just aren’t really in a position to do that.”

AAA Utah Spokesman John Treanor recommends getting to your destination earlier if possible.

“If you can travel a few days early and move your flight — do it!”