The Trump administration has ordered airlines to reduce 10% of flights at 40 major US airports beginning Friday as the ongoing federal government shutdown entered its 36th day, the longest in the country’s history.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the directive on Wednesday, saying the move was necessary to ease pressure on air traffic controllers and reduce congestion across key airports. “We had a gut check of what is our job,” Duffy told reporters while explaining the decision.
Although the government did not specify which airports would be affected, the cuts are expected to include the 30 busiest hubs, such as those serving New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that up to 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 airline seats could be eliminated under the plan.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that it could impose further restrictions after Friday if flight operations continue to be disrupted. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said on Tuesday that between 20% and 40% of controllers at the nation’s largest airports had failed to report for duty.
The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents to work without pay, causing severe staff shortages, longer security lines, and thousands of flight delays nationwide.
Airlines for America, the trade group representing major US carriers such as Delta, United, American and Southwest, said it was working closely with authorities to manage the situation. “We are working with the federal government to understand all details of the new reduction mandate and will strive to mitigate impacts to passengers and shippers,” the group said in a statement.
The FAA was scheduled to hold a call with airline executives on Wednesday evening to brief them on how the flight cuts will be implemented, according to industry sources.
The partial government closure, which began on 1 October, has paralysed public services as Republicans and Democrats remain at an impasse over a federal funding bill. Democrats have refused to back any proposal that excludes health insurance subsidies, while Republicans have rejected the demand.
President Donald Trump and his allies have sought to escalate political pressure by allowing the shutdown’s effects to ripple through the economy. About 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while many low-income Americans have lost access to food and welfare programmes.
Duffy had earlier warned that if the deadlock persisted another week, “mass chaos” could ensue, potentially forcing parts of US airspace to close. He also said authorities would begin limiting space launches to specific times of the day to prioritise essential air operations.
Airlines have repeatedly urged an end to the shutdown, citing growing safety concerns. Shares of major carriers, including United and American Airlines, slipped around 1% in extended trading. Industry data suggested that more than 3.2 million passengers have already been affected by delays or cancellations linked to the controller shortage, with over 2,100 flights delayed on Wednesday alone.
Reuters
