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Follow live updates as FAA cuts to air traffic take effect amid government shutdown
Hundreds of flights have been canceled nationwide as the Federal Aviation Administration is temporarily reducing flights at 40 high-traffic airports by 10 percent, citing safety concerns amid the ongoing government shutdown. Starting Friday, affected airports will see a 4% reduction in operations, which will ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14, just ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the decision was a result of stress and fatigue among air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay through the shutdown, which is in its second month. The FAA warned last week that a surge in air traffic controllers calling out was “straining staffing levels at multiple facilities.”
“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” Bedford said. “The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move “isn’t about politics — it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay.”
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Kate Murphy
Airlines for America, a trade association that advocates for leading U.S. airlines, urged Congress to reopen the federal government in order to “get federal workers paid and get our airspace back to normal operations” ahead of the upcoming holiday travel season.
In a series of posts on X on Friday, the association drew attention to the unprecedented length of the government shutdown, as air traffic controllers and TSA officers aren’t receiving pay.
“More than 3.5 million passengers have experienced delays or cancelations because of air traffic control staffing concerns since the shutdown began,” reads one of the posts. “This simply is not sustainable.”
Airlines for America also pointed to the upcoming busy Thanksgiving travel season, writing, “We are expecting 31 million passengers — an all-time high — over the holiday (November 21-December 1).”
Kate Murphy
The FAA stated that a reduction in flight operations nationwide will be gradual. Here’s the schedule:
Friday, Nov. 7: 4% reduction in flights
Tuesday, Nov. 11: 6% flight reduction
Thursday, Nov. 13: 8% reduction
Friday, Nov. 14: full 10% reduction in flights will take effect
“These actions were directly informed by the FAA’s review of aviation safety data, including voluntary, confidential safety reports that pilots and air traffic controllers file,” according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. “The data indicates increased stress on the system, which increases risk.”
Kate Murphy
This is the full list of 40 airports being affected nationwide by the FAA’s 10% flight reduction:
Anchorage International (ANC)
Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
Boston-Logan International (BOS)
Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
Chicago Midway International (MDW)
Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW)
Denver International (DEN)
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL)
George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
Honolulu International (HNL)
Indianapolis International (IND)
Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
Los Angeles International (LAX)
Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF)
Memphis International (MEM)
Miami International (MIA)
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International (MSP)
New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
Newark Liberty International (EWR)
Oakland San Francisco Bay International (OAK)
Ontario International (ONT)
Orlando International (MCO)
Philadelphia International (PHL)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
Portland International (PDX)
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
San Diego International (SAN)
Salt Lake City International (SLC)
San Francisco International (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)
Tampa International (TPA)
Washington Dulles International (IAD)