US To Cut 10% Of Flights At 40 Major Airports

In the aftermath of the ongoing US government shutdown, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced on Wednesday that airline traffic will be reduced by 10% across 40 major airports. Officials did not specify which airports would be affected, saying a detailed list would be released on Thursday. The cuts are expected to impact major hubs such as New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas.

The announcement left airlines scrambling to cancel flights within 36 hours, while anxious passengers flooded helplines seeking updates. During this record-breaking shutdown, about 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents have been working without pay. According to Reuters, industry sources said the FAA informed major US carriers during a call that airport capacity would be reduced progressively—by 4% initially, 5% on Saturday, 6% on Sunday, and reaching 10% by next week.

Secretary Duffy said the FAA is offering cash incentives to retiring air traffic controllers to remain on staff, while the FAA Academy is accelerating recruitment efforts to ease the shortage. Administrator added that discussions with airline representatives will focus on how to implement the planned traffic reductions. Further action could be taken if the shutdown continues and additional measures are deemed necessary to protect passengers, Duffy and Bedford said. The shutdown entered its 36th day on Wednesday.