Washington: As the U.S. government shutdown stretches into its 37th day, the country’s aviation sector is facing its most severe disruption in decades. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday announced sweeping flight reductions across major U.S. airports to ensure air traffic safety amid mounting strain on unpaid controllers. The move comes as airlines scramble to revise schedules, field passenger complaints, and minimize chaos ahead of the busy travel season.
According to Reuters, the initial phase of flight cuts approximately 4% of daily operations will take effect Friday morning across 40 high-traffic airports, potentially rising to 10% next week if the political stalemate continues.
At a joint briefing, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford said the drastic step was unavoidable due to controller fatigue and staff shortages. “It is unusual, just as the shutdown is unusual, and the fact that our controllers haven’t been paid for over a month is equally unusual,” Bedford remarked.
The FAA oversees 44,000 flights daily, but it is currently short by about 3,500 air traffic controllers. Many of the 13,000 controllers and 50,000 security screeners are working without pay, with absenteeism spiking above 30% in key airports. “It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week,” Duffy assured, emphasizing that the flight caps were designed to maintain, not compromise, safety.
Carriers including United, American, Delta, and Southwest Airlines rushed to recalibrate their operations.
• American Airlines said it would cancel around 220 flights daily, focusing cuts on regional routes while maintaining roughly 6,000 daily flights.
• Delta Air Lines announced 170 flight cancellations for Friday, with fewer expected over the weekend.
• United Airlines plans to cut 4% of its daily flights—fewer than 200 services.
• Southwest Airlines will ground around 120 flights, while Alaska Airlines and Frontier are implementing selective route cancellations.
Frontier CEO Barry Biffle advised travelers heading to funerals or critical events to book backup tickets in anticipation of further disruptions.
Airlines have been inundated with customer queries, with travel lines, apps, and social media channels overwhelmed by passengers seeking clarity. Many travelers faced long delays and missed connections.
Delaware resident Grace Logeman, en route to her sister’s birthday celebration in the Dominican Republic, missed her connecting flight after a three-hour delay at Newark Airport. “I’m devastated,” she said. “This shutdown isn’t just politics it’s personal. I’m the one stranded here.”
To mitigate the impact, carriers are deploying larger aircraft on high-demand routes, a strategy commonly used to handle congestion in New York-area airports. The travel app Hopper reported a 60% spike in ‘disruption assistance’ purchases after the government announced the flight cuts.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the full-scale 10% reduction could result in:
• 1,800 daily flight cancellations
• 268,000 airline seats lost per day
To enforce compliance, the FAA has warned of fines up to $75,000 per flight operated beyond limits. Officials stressed that cuts must be applied equitably across regions to avoid disproportionate impacts.
The flight reduction order affects 40 major airports, including:
ATL (Atlanta), LAX (Los Angeles), JFK and LGA (New York), ORD (Chicago O’Hare), DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth), DEN (Denver), SEA (Seattle/Tacoma), MIA (Miami), SFO (San Francisco), and DCA/IAD (Washington area airports) among others. Cargo and passenger services alike are expected to be hit.
The FAA also announced restrictions on space launches, though international flights remain unaffected for now.
The aviation crisis comes at a sensitive time. After a modest rebound in bookings this fall, the sudden capacity cuts threaten to drive up airfares while dampening consumer travel confidence. Data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) shows passenger traffic already dipped in early November, reversing October’s gains.
David Morrison of Trade Nation warned: “The longer this goes on, the more severe the impact on revenues and the fewer passengers will fly.”
Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu urged travelers not to cancel their trips prematurely, saying, “Stick with your plans airlines are doing everything they can to accommodate you.”
Late Thursday, the FAA confirmed it will implement a 4% daily flight reduction beginning 6 a.m. ET on Friday, extending through Monday, before escalating to a 10% cut from November 14 if the shutdown persists.
The agency emphasized that the measure is temporary but necessary to prevent safety lapses amid depleted staffing and prolonged political deadlock.
Behind the numbers lies a growing human toll. Many air traffic controllers are working six-day weeks, some taking second jobs to make ends meet. Airlines estimate that over 3.2 million travelers have already faced delays since the shutdown began on October 1.
In a memo to staff, American Airlines COO David Seymour acknowledged the emotional strain, writing: “You deserve the same level of certainty as our customers.”
While the government insists the skies remain safe, the aviation network once a symbol of American efficiency is now buckling under political paralysis. Unless Congress and the White House reach a compromise soon, the Thanksgiving travel season could become the next major casualty.