As air traffic controllers continue to work without compensation during the ongoing government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a 10% reduction in air traffic at 40 major airports.
In order to guarantee flight safety, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declared on Wednesday that the cuts would start on Friday. “This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure,” Duffy said at a news briefing.
U.S. to reduce flight traffic by 10% due to shut down
Long security lines and thousands of flight delays and cancellations have resulted from the shutdown, which started on October 1 and has exacerbated staffing shortages across federal transportation agencies. After informing those impacted, the FAA intends to make the list of impacted airports public on Thursday. The agency handles about 44,360 flights on average each day.
The Wall Street Journal reviewed a preliminary list that includes New York City’s three main airports, as well as airports in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, and San Francisco. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that the reductions could cancel up to 1,800 flights on Friday, though the exact number may change once the FAA confirms the locations.
To discuss the reduction plan and ask airlines to reduce their schedules, FAA officials met with airline executives on Wednesday evening. According to FAA administrator Bryan Bedford, the limitations will also restrict space launches during that time.
Potential economic consequences
Travel and tourism organizations have warned of increasing economic consequences as the shutdown continues. This week, nearly 500 businesses and organizations signed a letter pleading with Congress to approve a spending bill, cautioning that further deadlock could lead to chaos during the holiday travel season. As the shutdown interferes with operations, airlines that were counting on record passenger numbers this year now face uncertainty.
Last week, Vice President JD Vance met with a number of airline executives who urged Congress to reopen the government. Over 3.4 million passengers have already experienced delays and cancellations due to staffing shortages, according to Airlines for America, a trade association that represents commercial carriers.
Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, assured staff that although the airline will cut regional routes, international and hub-to-hub flights will not be impacted. While American Airlines stated that it will get in touch with impacted passengers, pointing out that the majority of passengers won’t encounter any disruptions, Southwest Airlines is evaluating the FAA’s restrictions and intends to notify customers shortly.
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