FAA to Announce 10% Flight Cuts As Federal Government Shutdown Enters 36th Day

Travelers through some of the nation’s busiest airports could soon face fewer flights as the Federal Aviation Administration prepares to roll out temporary reductions to ease mounting strain on unpaid air traffic controllers.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency will announce on Thursday which “high-volume markets” will see flight reductions of about 10 percent beginning Friday, a move he called necessary to keep the airspace safe during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

“This is new territory in terms of government shutdowns,” Bedford said at a Wednesday news conference alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “I’m not aware in my 35 years in aviation of anything quite like this.”

The FAA and Department of Transportation say they are acting on data showing rising fatigue and safety concerns among air traffic controllers, most of whom have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Many are logging six-day workweeks with mandatory overtime as they try to keep the system operating.

Duffy said the decision followed weeks of mounting evidence that the system was under pressure. “Our number one priority is safety,” he said. “We’d rather see some cancellations than compromise that.”

The reductions will be identified through internal data showing the most stress on air traffic control facilities. FAA officials said the cuts will be distributed proportionately among airlines and implemented “in an organized way” to avoid chaos in maintenance and crew scheduling. Bedford declined to specify which airports would be affected until the FAA finishes meetings with airline executives on Thursday.

Safety First, Even as Frustration Builds

Both Duffy and Bedford emphasized that the U.S. airspace remains safe, but that fatigue and missed paychecks among controllers cannot be ignored. “We can’t wait until something goes wrong,” Bedford said. “We’re taking proactive measures now.”

If the shutdown ends quickly, the FAA said operations will not immediately return to normal; staffing must first stabilize.

What Travelers Should Know

Passengers facing flight disruptions can rebook at no cost on their airline, but carriers are not required to transfer passengers to other airlines. Travelers who cancel due to flight disruptions are entitled to a full refund, even on nonrefundable tickets, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. However, airlines are not required to provide meal vouchers or lodging for cancellations or long delays.

Industry Calls for Action

Major airlines and aviation unions have urged Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest in U.S. history. The U.S. Travel Association warned that the crisis is “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience.”

Secretary Duffy cautioned that if the shutdown continues into a second missed pay period for controllers, “we could see chaos in the skies.”

From Friday through Sunday last weekend, 39 air traffic facilities reported potential staffing limits—nearly five times the pre-shutdown average, according to a review of FAA data.

Despite the strain, Bedford praised controllers for continuing to report to work without pay. “They are the reason America’s skies remain the safest in the world,” he said. “But we have to give them some relief before that changes.”