The U.S. government on Friday warned airlines to brace for even deeper cuts to domestic flights if the ongoing federal shutdown continues, as severe staffing shortages among air traffic controllers and security personnel triggered widespread disruptions across the country.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he could order airlines to reduce flights by as much as 20% nationwide if the situation worsens, warning that “decisions will be based on what we see in the airspace.”
The announcement came as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructed airlines to cut 4% of flights at 40 major airports starting Friday, with reductions set to increase to 6% on Tuesday and 10% by November 14.
By 7:30 p.m. ET (1130 GMT), more than 5,300 flights had been delayed and hundreds canceled, according to FlightAware.
Major airports in Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Newark reported severe slowdowns, while at Reagan Washington National Airport, delays averaged four hours and 17% of flights were canceled.
The disruptions mark one of the most visible consequences of the 38-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration screeners have been working without pay, and many were informed this week they would miss a second paycheck.
Absenteeism among controllers has surged, with FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford noting that up to 40% are failing to report for duty on some days.
The Trump administration has sought to use the worsening air travel crisis to pressure Democrats in Congress to support a Republican-backed funding bill that would reopen the government.
Democrats, however, accuse Republicans of holding the economy hostage to force changes in health care subsidies.
Airlines have begun to absorb the impact. The four largest carriers, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines, collectively cut about 700 flights on Friday.
American canceled 220 flights, affecting about 12,000 passengers, while United reported 184 cancellations and planned additional reductions over the weekend.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told CNBC that while initial disruptions were manageable, “this level of cancellation is going to grow over time, and that’s something that is going to be problematic.”
To minimize chaos, Duffy said the FAA decided to phase in reductions starting at 4% rather than the initially planned 10% to “keep the system stable.”
The agency cited safety concerns, including recent incidents involving loss of aircraft separation and runway incursions, as justification for the cuts.
The FAA has also restricted space launches and may reduce private-plane operations by up to 10% at high-traffic airports, though international flights remain unaffected.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted a photo of a flight board filled with cancellations, writing on X: “The GOP shutdown has grounded America, just in time for the holidays!”
With Thanksgiving travel season approaching, airlines and passengers alike face mounting uncertainty, and the threat of far deeper cuts if the shutdown drags on.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
