FAA orders 10% cut in flights at several airports as shutdown drags on
The Trump administration says the move, which will affect 40 markets, is part of an effort to ease pressure on air traffic controllers.
Updated
November 5, 2025 at 6:42
By Lori Aratani
The Trump administration on Wednesday announced it will reduce flight traffic by 10 percent in 40 “high traffic” markets across the United States as part of an effort to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who will miss another paycheck next week as the government shutdown enters its second month.
The reductions, slated to take effect Friday, will probably increase flight delays and cancellations. Further details about the affected markets will be announced Thursday, administration officials said.
The move is unprecedented and could affect cargo operations as well as commercial travelers. It also has the potential to scramble travel plans in the run-up to the busy Thanksgiving travel period, when record numbers of Americans are expected to be on the move.
A 10 percent cut at a major hub like Chicago O’Hare International Airport, for example, could mean 121 fewer flights — or more than 14,500 fewer seats — a day, according to an estimate by Cirium, an aviation analytics data firm.
“There’ll be frustration,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said. “But in the end, our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. carriers, said in a statement: “We are working with the federal government to understand all details of the new reduction mandate and will strive to mitigate impacts to passengers and shippers.”
Federal Aviation Administration head Bryan Bedford, who joined Duffy in making the announcement, emphasized that the aviation system continues to be safe and is running as efficiently as it was before the shutdown. But, he said, an examination of data, including voluntary safety disclosure reports from pilots, highlighted concerns about fatigue among air traffic controllers.
“We are starting to see some evidence that fatigue is building in the system in ways that we feel we need to work towards relieving some of that pressure,” Bedford said.
Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are among the federal employees working without pay.
Though there have been sporadic spikes in flight disruptions tied to staffing shortages, the system has been relatively stable.
Still, Duffy has warned of the potential for “chaos” for travelers to reinforce the need to end the shutdown that began Oct. 1.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transpor ... own-duffy/