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US to cut 10% of flights at 40 major airports as shutdown strains air traffic control
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that 40 major US airports will face a 10% reduction in flight capacity starting Friday if the federal government shutdown persists, citing escalating fatigue among unpaid air traffic controllers.
The phased cuts will begin at 4% on Friday, escalate to 5% on Saturday, then 6% on Sunday, before reaching the full 10% reduction next week, according to four unnamed sources cited by Reuters. Officials will disclose the list of affected high-traffic airports on Thursday, with daily cancellations potentially impacting 3,500 to 4,000 flights.
Controllers push limits as shutdown drags on
Bryan Bedford, head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), described the situation as "unusual" during a joint briefing with Duffy, emphasizing that controllers-now unpaid for over a month-are facing unprecedented stress. "It is unusual, just as the shutdown is unusual, just as the fact that our controllers haven't been paid for a month is unusual," Bedford stated.
The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has left 1.4 million federal workers-from air traffic controllers to park rangers-either furloughed or working without pay. Labor unions report rising absenteeism due to financial strain, with some employees taking second jobs or falling ill from stress. Nick Daniels, president of a union representing over 20,000 aviation workers, told CNN that controllers are texting colleagues to say, "I don't even have enough money to put gas in my car to come to work."
"Air traffic controllers are texting 'I don't even have enough money to put gas in my car to come to work.'"
Nick Daniels, President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (via CNN)
Safety concerns prompt preemptive cuts
Bedford warned that without intervention, mounting pressures could undermine the FAA's ability to guarantee the "safest airline system in the world." Duffy reiterated that air travel remains safe but stressed that the reductions are necessary to preserve both safety and operational efficiency.
If the shutdown continues, further restrictions may follow, Bedford cautioned. The FAA's decision comes as half of the nation's 30 busiest airports already grapple with staff shortages, with some grounding flights for hours earlier this month after controllers called in sick.
Airline responses
American Airlines, the second-largest US carrier, stated it is awaiting FAA details to identify affected flights but expects "the vast majority of customers' travel will be unaffected." Southwest Airlines, the fourth-largest, said it is evaluating impacts and urged Congress to "immediately resolve its impasse and restore the National Airspace System to full capacity." Delta Airlines declined to comment.
Financial strain forces tough choices
Duffy highlighted the dilemma facing controllers: "Do I go to work and not get a paycheck and not put food on the table? Or do I drive for Uber or DoorDash or wait tables?" he said Sunday on ABC. The secretary had previously threatened to dismiss controllers who fail to report for duty, underscoring the system's reliance on their presence despite unpaid conditions.
The shutdown began October 1, when federal funding lapsed. While most federal employees were sent home pending reopening, controllers and other "essential" workers were required to continue without compensation.
What's next
The FAA and airlines are scrambling to adjust schedules ahead of Thursday's airport list release. Unions and lawmakers continue pressing Congress to break the funding deadlock, though no resolution is yet in sight.
Controllers' financial distress and operational disruptions are expected to worsen if the shutdown extends into next week, raising the specter of broader travel chaos.
