Air Traffic Cuts Loom as US Government Shutdown Continues

Thu Nov 06 2025 16:16:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns of a significant reduction in flight capacity at 40 major US airports due to ongoing government shutdown. The air travel sector faces increased strain as thousands of federal workers remain unpaid.

In light of the prolonged government shutdown, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced a planned reduction of up to 10% in flight capacity at 40 major airports. The issue arises from air traffic controller fatigue, as many essential workers operate without pay. This situation could lead to between 3,500 to 4,000 flight cancellations daily, impacting numerous domestic flights but sparing international routes. The affected high-traffic airports will be disclosed soon, prompting concerns over safety and operational efficiency as stress mounts among aviation staff.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that air travel capacity will be cut by up to 10% at 40 major airports over the coming days, if the government shutdown continues.

The decision, which is expected to affect domestic flights only, was made because air traffic controllers had been reporting fatigue, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said at a briefing alongside Duffy.

Some 1.4 million federal workers, from air traffic controllers to park wardens, are working without pay - or are on forced leave - because the US Congress has not agreed a federal funding budget.

Unions say many employees are becoming ill with stress or are being forced into taking second jobs.

On Wednesday, the impasse became the longest shutdown in US history.

It is unusual, said FAA chief Bryan Bedford of the planned flight reductions, just as the shutdown is unusual, just as the fact that our controllers haven't been paid for a month is unusual.

The flight reductions will be gradual, starting at 4% of domestic flights on Friday, rising to 5% on Saturday and 6% on Sunday, before hitting the full 10% next week.

The names of the affected airports - all high-traffic locations - would be released soon, including some of the nation's busiest hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Chicago O'Hare International, and Los Angeles International.

The cancellations could affect between 3,500 and 4,000 flights per day. US media have reported that international flights would not be affected.

We are seeing pressures build in a way that we don't feel - if we allow it to go unchecked - will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world, Bedford said during Wednesday's briefing.

Duffy insisted that air travel was still safe, stating that the cancellations were aimed at maintaining safety and efficiency.

If the shutdown continued and added more pressure to the system, additional restrictive measures may be required, Bedford added.

In response to the expected service disruptions, American Airlines stated it is awaiting more information from the FAA but expects most customers' travel will be unaffected. Meanwhile, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson noted that they are evaluating the impacts of flight restrictions.

Air traffic controllers have reported severe personal hardships, with some unable to afford gas to come to work and others forced to seek additional employment.

Both union officials and controllers voiced concerns about the ongoing situation, cautioning that it could reach a tipping point for safety and operational reliability.