FAA Orders Flight Reductions Amid Ongoing Shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructed U.S. airlines to cut 4% of flights on Friday at 40 major airports due to a prolonged government shutdown, affecting thousands of passengers. The reductions are set to rise to 10% by November 14, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned cuts could reach 20% if air traffic control staffing issues persist.

The flight reductions initially impacted approximately 700 flights from the country’s four largest carriers: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.

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Widespread Flight Delays and Cancellations

Air traffic controller absences forced the FAA to delay hundreds of flights at major airports including Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Newark. By Friday evening, over 5,300 flights were delayed, with average delays at Reagan Washington National exceeding four hours. Approximately 17% of flights were canceled, and nearly 40% were delayed.

The shutdown, now at 38 days, has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners working without pay, contributing to high absenteeism. Many controllers were informed they would receive no pay for a second consecutive pay period.

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Government and Airline Responses

The Trump administration has cited the staffing shortages and air traffic safety concerns to pressure Congress to approve a government funding bill. Democrats argue that Republicans bear responsibility for the shutdown due to disagreements over health insurance subsidies.

Secretary Duffy said, “We’re going to make decisions based on what we see in the airspace,” warning that flight reductions could escalate to 20% if controller absences worsen.

Airline executives are bracing for the impact:

• American Airlines CEO Robert Isom warned that while initial cuts were manageable, disruptions would increase over time, calling future reductions “problematic.”
• United Airlines reported that half of affected customers were rebooked within four hours, with planned cancellations decreasing over the weekend as flight volumes drop.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford noted that 20-40% of controllers were not showing up for work on any given day, emphasizing the need for phased reductions starting at 4% to reduce disruption.

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Impact on Air Travel

The FAA is also restricting space launches and may cut up to 10% of private-plane flights at high-traffic airports. International flights are not affected by these measures. The phased flight cuts aim to maintain safety standards, including preventing incidents of planes not maintaining separation and ground incursions.

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Key Takeaways

• FAA mandated 4% flight cuts on Friday, increasing to 10% by Nov. 14; Secretary Duffy warns potential 20% cuts.
• 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners working without pay due to 38-day government shutdown.
• Thousands of flights delayed and canceled at major airports, affecting passengers nationwide.
• Safety concerns, including separation violations, drive the FAA’s decision to implement phased reductions.
• Airlines are attempting to rebook passengers quickly, but future disruptions could grow significant.