FAA to cut flights at 40 major airports. What it means for travelers

Update: Here are the 40 airports where the FAA is cutting flights due to government shutdown

The government shutdown reached its 36th day on Wednesday, making it the longest shutdown in history. Among the many government employees affected are air traffic controllers, civil servants employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, which is part of the Department of Transportation. Considered “essential workers,” air traffic controllers are working without pay, putting increasing pressure on U.S. airports.

The FAA announced it would reduce flight volumes by 10% at 40 major U.S. airports starting Friday. This is an emergency measure, according to the authorities, necessary to ensure the security of the skies. A list of affected airports will be published after airlines have been informed, the agency said.

The FAA manages more than 44,000 flights per day on average, so a 10% reduction is significant, especially as the peak holiday travel season approaches. New York, Chicago and Nashville are already feeling the pain, as staff shortages have already caused delays in recent weeks.

In announcing the move, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cast it as a pressure relief valve for a system strained by missed paychecks and growing fatigue among TSA screeners and agents, who also must work without pay during the shutdown.

“We thought 10% was the right number, given the pressure we were seeing,” he said.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the cuts would be phased in and could deepen if staffing levels deteriorate, adding that the goal is to avoid jeopardizing the agency’s safety record.

What disruptions should travelers expect?

Aviation data firm Cirium estimates that up to 1,800 flights could be affected on Friday alone, although the final tally depends on which hubs are targeted. Travelers are advised to check airline apps and emails, expect rebookings, and allow extra time for security and connections. FlightAware.com, which is searchable by airport and city, provides air traffic data in a visual format, showing where crashes are occurring.

At the same time, experts warn that, if confinement persists, the 10% set on Friday could constitute a floor and not a ceiling.

Airlines are preparing for a range of possible consequences and difficulties. United Airlines has told its employees that long-haul international routes and hub-to-hub flights should be spared initially, implying that regional and short-haul routes will suffer the consequences. American and Southwest said they would notify affected customers and try to minimize disruptions, while industry group Airlines for America warned that millions of customers had already been delayed or canceled since early October, shortly after the shutdown began.

Cuts highlight long-standing vulnerabilities

The controller workforce has been under pressure for years and training pipelines are not designed to withstand prolonged hiring freezes or widespread no-shows. Bedford said the FAA would continue to meet with carriers to adjust schedules and, if necessary, expand restrictions — including potentially limits on space launches that have become a growing source of traffic complexity.

Duffy has said in recent television interviews that air travel will continue to be affected even after the lockdown ends.

Airline stocks fell before the market opened Thursday.