The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented an unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide as a result of the record-long government shutdown. This important regulation will start on Friday morning, aiming for more manageable operations in the aviation sector.
The FAA has selected 40 airports, spanning over two dozen states, including major hubs like Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Air traffic control centers across metropolitan areas, such as New York, Houston, Chicago, and Washington, will experience disruptions, extending the impact even to smaller airports.
As airlines prepare for the FAA's official order, many began canceling flights in advance, leaving travelers anxious about their weekend and upcoming journeys. Currently, more than 780 flights have been canceled nationwide, as reported by FlightAware. Notably, Delta Air Lines will be scratching approximately 170 flights on Friday alone, while American Airlines intends to cut 220 flights each day through Monday.
The reductions will initially decrease to 4% and escalate to a full 10% by November 14, operating between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., affecting all commercial airlines.
The FAA asserts that these actions are essential to relieve the immense pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for well over a month. Many controllers are enduring six-day workweeks with mandatory overtime, leading to exhaustion and increased absences.
“You can’t expect people to go in to work when they’re not getting a paycheck,” expressed Kelly Matthews of Flat Rock, Michigan, a frequent business traveler who has had to cancel several upcoming trips. “It’s not that they don’t want to do the job—it’s just impossible to afford basic living expenses during this time.”
This order coincides with an escalation in pressure from the Trump administration on Congress to resolve the shutdown issue.
Despite the reductions, airlines have stated their commitment to minimizing customer impact. Some carriers are focusing on slashing service routes linked to smaller and medium-sized cities. Additionally, while carriers will refund travelers for canceled flights, they will not cover secondary costs unless delays or cancellations arise from controllable airline factors, according to the Department of Transportation.
Industry analysts have warned that these reductions are likely to cause a significant impact across the US air transportation system.
Moreover, these cuts are expected to hinder package deliveries, as two affected airports serve as major distribution centers for companies like FedEx in Memphis and UPS in Louisville, especially in light of the recent tragic cargo plane crash there.
