Visiting Tampa International Airport’s aquarium, taking a yoga class at the San Francisco International Airport or grabbing a burger at the soon-to-open Shake Shack in John F. Kennedy International Airport could well be a highlight of your summer vacation. Experts say that if anticipated air-traffic controller cuts come to pass, travelers will probably spend as much time waiting at the airport on a sunny day as they normally do during a snowstorm.

Reuters

The Federal Aviation Administration has said that the budget cuts under sequestration will force it to implement unpaid leaves for civilian air-traffic controllers. The agency predicts such cuts will spur flight delays of up to 90 minutes at busy airports, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trade group Airlines for America and several airlines have disputed that the furloughs are necessary, and say cuts can be made elsewhere, the paper reports. (It’s not the only airport woe impacting travelers: The Transportation Security Administration also expects lengthier security lines as a result of budget cuts.)

While it’s still too early to tell if the FAA will implement the furlough plan, experts say travelers should be prepared. Fewer controllers on duty means fewer flights can take off or land during a given period. The effect is likely to be similar to that of a severe thunderstorm or snowstorm -- with delays at one airport triggering delays at others in widening circles, says Rick Seaney, chief executive of fare-tracking site FareCompare.com. “You’re talking about taking something that happens once or twice a month, and making it an everyday potential,” he says.

Consumers flying in to or out of a smaller regional airport are likely to see the most delays and cancellations, says George Hobica, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com. With limited slots for take-offs, airlines tend to prioritize long-haul flights, since they carry more passengers (and so, if canceled, are apt to start a more expensive domino chain of overbooked flights and lost revenue). “When airlines cancel flights, it’s always the regional jets that get canceled first,” he says.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that airlines have already scaled back their f

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light schedules in recent years, in an effort to boost profits by flying fuller planes. As a side effect, on-time performance improved. During 2012, 81.85% of flights arrived on time, up from 73.42% in 2007, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. In January 2013, the latest month for which statistics are available, 80.98% of flights arrived on time. Those airline cuts could make sequestration-related delays less severe, says Seaney.

Travelers looking to delay-proof their trip should book an early flight, says Tom Parsons, chief executive of BestFares.com. “If you really want to be there, the first flights of the day are always on time,” he says. Check on-time performance for a flight at the airline’s site, and for the airline and airport at BTS.gov. Hobica suggests opting for nonstop flights when possible. “Drive the extra three to four hours to a bigger airport to avoid connecting from a regional jet to a larger mainline carrier,” he says.