WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration will impose a sweeping 10 percent reduction in flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, a dramatic move aimed at preserving safety standards as the ongoing government shutdown stretches into its third week.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced the temporary measure Thursday, calling it a necessary step to alleviate mounting stress on an air traffic system stretched thin by unpaid controllers and rising fatigue reports.
“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety,” Duffy said. “This isn’t about politics—it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay. It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”
The order, which begins Friday, November 7, will roll out in stages—starting with a 4 percent reduction and escalating to 10 percent by November 14. The mandate affects 40 major airports, including Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, New York’s JFK and LaGuardia, and Washington’s Reagan National.
Bedford said recent safety data, including confidential reports from pilots and controllers, signaled growing strain on the system. “We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” he said.
The FAA reported 2,740 flight delays last weekend, reflecting the cumulative pressure on facilities where staffing “triggers” have been exceeded. Under the emergency order, certain nonessential flight operations will also be suspended, including visual flight rule approaches at impacted facilities, parachute operations, and aerial photography missions. Commercial space launches and reentries will be restricted to nighttime hours between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Airlines affected by the order will be required to issue full refunds for canceled flights but are not obligated to cover secondary costs such as hotel or meal expenses. International flights are exempt, though carriers will have discretion to determine which domestic routes are trimmed to meet the FAA’s targets.
Officials said the measures will remain in place as long as safety data warrants, with any future adjustments based on real-time monitoring of air traffic operations.
The order affects many of the country’s busiest air hubs, from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International to Los Angeles International, as the FAA navigates what insiders describe as one of the most complex operational challenges in decades — a nationwide system under strain, held together by the professionalism of unpaid controllers determined to keep America flying safely.
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