US orders 10% flight cut at 40 airports amid record shutdown
The US government has ordered airlines to slash flights by 10% at 40 major airports nationwide as the record-long federal shutdown enters its 36th day, raising mounting safety and staffing concerns across the aviation sector.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the directive on Wednesday, saying the decision followed a confidential safety review that revealed increasing risks to air traffic control operations. “Our job is to make hard choices to keep the airspace safe,” he said.
The reduction will begin gradually, 4% this week, climbing to 10% next week, and will affect some of the busiest airports, including those in New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas, according to industry sources. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said international flights would be exempt.
Shutdown impact deepens
The partial government shutdown, the longest in US history, has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security officers working without pay. The staffing shortages have already delayed tens of thousands of flights and disrupted travel for over three million passengers.
The FAA said the cuts are intended to ease pressure on overworked controllers, many of whom have been logging mandatory overtime for weeks. The agency is currently short about 3,500 controllers.
Administration officials said the cuts could be lifted if Congress reaches an agreement to reopen the government. The White House has accused Democrats of prolonging the impasse, while Democrats blame Republicans for refusing to compromise over healthcare subsidies.
Airlines brace for turbulence
Airlines scrambled to adjust schedules within 36 hours of the order. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said long-haul and hub-to-hub flights will be preserved, while regional and non-hub routes face reductions. He assured customers that full refunds would be available even if their flights were not directly affected.
American Airlines said disruptions would be minimal for most passengers, while Southwest Airlines, the country’s largest domestic carrier, is still assessing the impact and has urged lawmakers to “resolve this crisis immediately.”
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 55,000 crew members, denounced the shutdown as “a cruel attack on American workers,” saying it endangered both aviation safety and livelihoods.
Economic pressure builds
The shutdown, which began on October 1, has furloughed around 750,000 federal employees, disrupted food assistance for low-income families, and shuttered numerous public services. Airline executives warned that prolonged uncertainty could trigger a drop in bookings and further financial strain on the sector.
More than 2,000 flights were delayed on Wednesday, while shares of major US carriers, including United and American, slipped about 1% in after-hours trading.
Duffy warned earlier this week that continued gridlock could lead to “mass chaos” in the skies and even partial airspace closures. The FAA also signalled it might impose additional flight restrictions and delay commercial space launches if staffing conditions worsen.
Reuters
