U.S. to cut flights by 10% at 40 airports as shutdown reaches 36 days

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns as the federal government shutdown reached its 36th day, marking the longest in U.S. history.

The decision sent airlines scrambling to reduce flights within 36 hours as passengers flooded customer service lines seeking updates. Duffy said the cuts could be reversed if Democrats agreed to reopen the government, framing the move as necessary to protect public safety amid the escalating crisis.

The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay. The strain has caused widespread delays, with airlines estimating at least 3.2 million travellers affected so far. “We had a gut check of what is our job,” Duffy said. “Our job is to make sure we make the hard decisions to continue to keep the airspace safe.”

FAA to phase in flight reductions

According to Reuters, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told airlines that capacity cuts will start at 4%, increase to 5% on Saturday, 6% on Sunday, and reach 10% next week. International flights are exempt. “When we see pressures building in these 40 markets, we just can’t ignore it,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said. “We can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating so the system is extremely safe today, will be extremely safe tomorrow.”

While the FAA did not identify the 40 airports, industry analysts expect the cuts to affect the 30 busiest hubs, including those in New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said the reductions could eliminate up to 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats.

Staffing shortages deepen

The FAA is already about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of target levels, with many employees working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks before the shutdown. The agency has warned that further restrictions could follow if staffing levels deteriorate.

Airlines for America, a trade group representing Delta, United, American, and Southwest, said carriers are still assessing the effects. “We are working with the federal government to understand all details of the new reduction mandate and will strive to mitigate impacts to passengers and shippers,” it said.

Southwest Airlines, the largest domestic carrier, said it is reviewing how the cuts will affect its schedule and urged lawmakers to end the funding standoff.

Unions denounce “cruel” shutdown

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which represents 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, called the shutdown “cruel attacks on all Americans.” Its president, Sara Nelson, said the false narrative that the government must choose between paying federal workers and protecting healthcare was “outrageous when both crises were manufactured by the exact people who can fix it.”

The federal government remains largely paralysed as Republicans and Democrats continue their standoff over a funding bill. Democrats refuse to approve a plan that omits health insurance subsidies, while Republicans have rejected those demands. President Donald Trump and his administration have sought to intensify pressure on Democrats by highlighting the growing consequences for ordinary Americans.

Airlines brace for more disruption

Since the shutdown began on 1 October, it has forced the furlough of about 750,000 federal employees, disrupted food assistance programmes, and closed multiple government services. Duffy warned that if the impasse continues, the situation could lead to “mass chaos” and possibly the closure of portions of national airspace.

Airlines have repeatedly urged an end to the shutdown, citing safety risks. Shares of United and American Airlines fell about 1% in after-hours trading on Wednesday. Carriers said operations have not yet been severely affected, but bookings could drop if the shutdown drags on. More than 2,100 flights were delayed that day, and Bedford said that between 20% and 40% of controllers at the agency’s 30 largest airports failed to report for duty.

Additional restrictions expected

In addition to the flight cuts, Duffy said authorities will also limit space launches to specific hours and impose new restrictions on general aviation flights to ease pressure on controllers. “We can’t ignore what’s happening in our airspace,” he said. “We have to act decisively to keep it safe.”

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