ATLANTA – Delta Air Lines Inc. says the U.S. government shutdown has forced it to postpone the first U.S. commercial flight of its A220 as the aircraft continues to wait for a key certification.

The Atlanta-based carrier says that delays in the certification process have prompted it to push back the maiden voyage about a week to Feb. 7.

The first Airbus A220-100 aircraft to be operated by Delta was slated to link the airports of New York’s LaGuardia, Dallas and Boston. But in order to make commercial connections, the aircraft must obtain a certificate of operation from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The American authority is one of many agencies slowed by the partial shutdown of the federal government caused by the clash between Democrats and Republicans over border security. The two sides reached a tentative agreement Friday afternoon to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations proceed.

Delta says that no flights will be cancelled as a result of the delayed entry of the Airbus SE-controlled A220 program — formerly known as the Bombardier C Series — with other aircraft deployed on the planned routes.

Since October, the airline has received four aircraft assembled north of Montreal in Mirabel, Que.

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