US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that he would order a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major US airports, citing air traffic control safety concerns as the government shutdown stretched into its 36th day.
The unprecedented move, which Duffy said could be reversed if Democrats agreed to reopen the government, has thrown airlines and passengers into uncertainty as carriers scramble to make schedule adjustments within 36 hours.
The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay, causing mounting fatigue and staffing shortages. “Our job is to make sure we make the hard decisions to keep the airspace safe,” Duffy said, referencing a confidential safety report warning of declining controller performance.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the cuts will begin at 4% and gradually rise to 10% by next week, though international flights will be exempt.
The reductions are expected to affect the nation’s 30 busiest airports, including those in New York, Washington, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas—potentially grounding 1,800 flights and eliminating 268,000 airline seats, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the step was necessary to “prevent things from deteriorating,” adding that additional restrictions could follow if staffing problems persist. Airlines for America, representing major carriers such as Delta, United, American, and Southwest, said it was working with federal authorities to mitigate passenger disruption.
The shutdown, triggered by partisan gridlock over health care funding, has already delayed tens of thousands of flights and impacted over 3.2 million travelers. Airline stocks dipped about 1% in extended trading Wednesday as Duffy warned that if the impasse continues, the government may have to close portions of national airspace to ensure safety.
