DENVER — More travelers are choosing to rent cars to avoid flight uncertainty at Denver International Airport (DIA) during the federal government shutdown, according to several car rental companies.
DIA is one of 40 major airports across the country facing a 10% reduction in flights imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), due to the shutdown. The FAA order aims to take pressure off air traffic controllers who are working without pay.
Turo, a company allowing car owners to rent out their vehicles, said it saw a 30% increase in bookings compared to last year across the nation after the FAA announced flight cuts. A company spokesperson said searches for cars in the Denver area went up 17% compared to the same time last year.
Hertz Car rental told Denver7 over the past two days it has seen a 20% spike in one-way rentals compared to the same time last year.
Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs for AAA, said travelers should keep their options open and plans flexible while traveling during the shutdown.
"The travelers who will run into the most frustrating situations are those who have the strictest travel plans," said McKinley. "If you'd rather not deal with the uncertainty, now might be a time, if it's fun, if it's feasible, for you to consider driving to your destination instead of flying."
McKinley said flight costs will likely go up during the shutdown.
"When you limit travel supply, when you take flights out of the equation, costs are going to go up. So travelers should expect cost increases on the flights that are still active," he said.
As of Saturday evening, FlightAware showed 303 delays and 64 cancellations at DIA.
Denver7 spoke with several people visiting Denver who said they were concerned about their travel plans after the announcement of flight cuts.
"I was pretty nervous. I debated whether to book the trip and come or not come," said Jessie Farrer, who flew from Utah to DIA. "We're really hoping that, you know, the government can come to an agreement, and that they can kind of open this back up and help with the travel."
“It can be nerve wracking because you don’t really know if you’re going to get there or not," said Stephen Hamilton, who is visiting from San Diego. “We always tend to just got for it and hope for the best."
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