Nearly every major U.S. hub is about to feel the squeeze as the Federal Aviation Administration mandates flight reductions, putting pressure on both travelers and carriers.
FAA Orders 10% Flight Cuts at 40 U.S. Airports Amid Shutdown. Here’s The Full List
The FAA has ordered airlines to reduce scheduled flights by up to 10% at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, citing staffing shortages and fatigue among air traffic controllers who continue working without pay during the current federal government shutdown. The reductions begin this weekend and are largely aimed at daylight hours when traffic and staffing demands are highest.
Airports Affected By FAA Cutbacks
Here is the list of airports included in the reduction order:
- Anchorage International (ANC)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Boston Logan International (BOS)
- Baltimore/Washington International (BWI)
- Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG)
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
- Denver International (DEN)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
- Newark Liberty International (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
- Honolulu International (HNL)
- Houston Hobby (HOU)
- Washington Dulles International (IAD)
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
- Indianapolis International (IND)
- New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK)
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Orlando International (MCO)
- Chicago Midway International (MDW)
- Memphis International (MEM)
- Miami International (MIA)
- Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP)
- Oakland International (OAK)
- Ontario International (ONT)
- Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)
- Portland International (PDX)
- Philadelphia International (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
- San Diego International (SAN)
- Louisville International (SDF)
- Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
- San Francisco International (SFO)
- Salt Lake City International (SLC)
- Teterboro (TEB)
- Tampa International (TPA)
There was some fear that “blue state” airports would be targeted, but it appears that “red states” are not spared from this order.
The directive applies across these hubs and airlines are rapidly adjusting schedules to achieve he full 10% cut. Schedule capacity is expected to be most strained between 6 AM and 10 PM local time. For passengers, that means fewer flights to choose from, tighter connection windows, and a higher likelihood of cancellations, even if flying through an airport not on the list.
How Airlines Are Responding With Waivers
Carriers are moving quickly to soften the impact. Major airlines have already introduced flexible travel waivers that allow affected passengers to rebook without change fees or opt for refunds, even on previously non-refundable and even basic economy tickets. Carriers are also proactively trimming schedules in advance to avoid last-minute airport chaos (though Frontier Airlines is quite an outlier, but more on that in a future post).
Airlines emphasize that most reductions are focused on domestic regional flights, with international schedules prioritized, though cascading effects into regional routes remain likely. If you are traveling this weekend, monitor flight status frequently and expect schedule changes with less notice than normal.
CONCLUSION
This is not a weather problem, a tech outage, or a seasonal backlog. Rather, this is being cast as a structural strain caused by an unpaid workforce that keeps the national airspace system functioning (though politics may be at play). Check your flight more than once. Expect disruptions…
Of course politics are at play, a self hating Jew in Schumer is afraid of a challenge from a horse faced former bartender who may or may not have s#cked customers off after work.
So he is keeping the government shut to inflict maximum punishment on the poor, rich and middle class to try and prop up a program that has shown to be a semi failure and constantly needs more and more subsidies.
Meanwhile no one is “starving” but it makes a good sound bite and tugs at the heartstrings of weak liberals. Anyone not properly feeding their child needs to have the kids taken PERIOD.
Also it’s a great opportunity to short cigarette, weed and alcohol stocks, right? Since it appears 40+ million can no longer afford to buy them, right? Easy money, right?
Republicans refuse to negotiate because they dont want everyone to find out that trump is on the epstein list. Thats why they want to government to stay shut.
The elections on Tuesday show that America has buyers remorse over Trump. He should probably just resign and flee to Argentina now, instead of waiting for his term to end
More and more I’m starting to think you are right and that the Epstein files are at the root of their refusing to negotiate. I don’t think that ACA subsidies are a hill they ever wanted to die on. The more they can stall and kick the Epstein files down the road the more they are hoping people will forget about them and it will buy them additional time to keep battling out the release until after the mid-terms. Or, it allows them more time to form a defense of what Bondi and some others already know is in there.
This is a democrat shutdown, they are holding the country hostage.
Trump won his 3rd election with more votes than any president to date. He has a mandate and its the childish democrats who can’t accept their defeats.
We are the majority not you hate america lefties.
More votes for any president, except for Biden… hahahahaha trump can’t beat men in elections! What a weakling! He can only beat women! Hahahaha
Please, the Republicans shut things down to avoid releasing the Epstein Files.
Your mom is running for Schumer’s Senate seat?
A kiss on the forehead to whatever traders figured out earlier this week that Expedia bookings would be up as a result of the shutdown.
An expected result after such a long shutdown… One can wonder what the next stage is?
The democrats need to pay for this.
Ban them from all flights till they end their shutdown.
Dems are all in DC waiting to negotiate. Republicans are the ones you need to ban since then they would have to drive back from their vacations.
Such vulgarity and nastiness is unnecessary.
Hi Matt. I, ahem, work in the DMV and I’ve seen the effects. I get by because, old school, I prepare (like a Boy Scout). It’s life. I see that the flight I plan to take to see my mother at PHX in January is delayed by 5 hours if I were to take it today. Yikes! There’s a supermarket offering aid for federal furloughed employees for thanksgiving so I signed up for it.
I came of age during the cold war along with my wife so we’re accustomed to austerity.