FAA cuts airline traffic in 40 markets over shutdown as Americans already face uncertainty over holiday travel plans
Flights will be slashed at 40 ‘high-volume’ airports this week, FAA says
- The Federal Aviation Administration says it will reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 airports starting Friday.
- This action is a direct response to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, who are working unpaid during the ongoing government shutdown.
- Transport Secretary Sean Duffy stated the measure is being taken at "high-volume" airports to maintain safety, anticipating further disruptions and frustration.
- Duffy said, “We are working with the airlines, they're going to work with passengers, but in the end our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
- FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency is not going to wait for a problem to act, saying the shutdown is causing staffing pressures and “we can’t ignore it.”