The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering airlines to reduce domestic flights by 10% at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, including JFK, LaGuardia and Newark, starting Friday.
The move comes in response to the ongoing government shutdown, which has left thousands of air traffic controllers working without pay for more than five weeks and is now the longest in American history.
“My department has many responsibilities, but our No. 1 job is safety,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement Thursday. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay.”
“It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking,” he added.
The phased cutbacks began Friday and will ramp up through Nov. 14, in what federal officials called “proactive" steps to reduce strain at airports and maintain safety in the air.
Flight delays have already spiked, with more than 2,700 reported at various airports last weekend, officials said. Pilots and controllers have been warning of mounting fatigue and understaffed towers.
“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. “The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”
The agency said airlines must provide full refunds for canceled flights but not secondary costs like meals and hotel stays. The order doesn’t apply to international routes.
More disruption could be coming as the federal shutdown continues. The FAA said future airport decisions will depend on staffing levels and safety data.
