Every day that the shutdown continues, its strain on U.S. air travel becomes harder to ignore. Now, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a 10% reduction in scheduled flights across 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, claiming that unpaid and overworked air traffic controllers face mounting fatigue amid the ongoing government shutdown. Is this a necessary move or simply a political ploy?
FAA Orders Major Flight Cuts: Up To 10% Fewer Flights At 40 U.S. Airports
The move, described as “proactive” and unprecedented in FAA history, aims to reduce risk as the shutdown enters its sixth week. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the decision was made out of concern for safety, not politics.
“We are starting to see evidence that fatigue is building in the system in ways that we feel we need to relieve some of that pressure,” Bedford said. “If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional steps.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added that the government “cannot wait for an incident” before acting, noting that controller absences and extended shifts are creating untenable working conditions.
How It Will Affect Travelers
The FAA’s order will impact 40 high-volume markets, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Los Angeles. A 10% cut at Chicago O’Hare, for example, could eliminate over 120 daily flights, more than 14,000 seats. But that’s somewhat speculative, as we have not been given details yet.
We do know that Airlines have been told to reduce schedules starting Friday. The directive will remain in place until further notice. Carriers are now scrambling to adjust flight plans, reassign crews, and notify customers ahead of what was expected to be a record holiday travel season.
Here’s what American Airlines has said:
United Airlines:
For passengers, the fallout will be felt through longer delays, tighter connections, and a spike in cancellations as the system contracts. With staffing already thin, a single weather event or equipment issue could now cascade into nationwide disruptions.
The Politics Behind This
Duffy blasted the New York Times for framing this as political:
But is a 10% across-the-board cut at all 40 major airports really the “safe” bet? Currently, some FAA control centers are having no staffing issues while others are having more severe issues. Wouldn’t it make more sense, if there was genuine safety concerns, to target where the staffing shortage actaully is?
I do like the filibuster, but if Republicans are serious about reopening the government, it’s time for a Senate rule change making only a simple majority needed for cloture, such that the slim Republican majorities can pass a clean bill and reopen the government immediately.
There’s a lot to hash out on many policy issues, but holding American hostage who receive food stamps or travel and not paying federal workers for several weeks is unacceptable.
CONCLUSION
The FAA says this is about safety, not politics, but the optics tell a more complicated story. A blanket 10% cut across all 40 major airports feels more like a headline-grabbing move than a data-driven solution to localized staffing problems. If the real issue is controller fatigue in certain regions, that’s where resources and relief should be directed, not a sweeping reduction that punishes the entire system.
At the same time, it’s hard to fault the agency for trying to get ahead of a potential safety crisis. When the people guiding 45,000 daily flights are exhausted and unpaid, “business as usual” isn’t sustainable. The deeper failure lies with Congress, which continues to use everyday Americans as leverage in a political standoff. It’s not just travelers who are caught in the middle, it’s the workers keeping them safe.
Until lawmakers end the shutdown, these cuts are only the beginning.
If this is what its like when America is great again, maybe we should go back to not being so great. This is what happens when you vote in a bunch of reality show people to run the country.
The 2 longest shutdowns have occurred under trump. A rule should be made, if you shutdown the govt, it triggers a snap election.
I like where your head is at, sir.
Trump himself has said “a shutdown means the President is weak.”
You can’t make this stuff up. Bah!
The Democrats have shut down the government. More than a dozen times, every Republican senator (and 3 Democrats) have voted for a clean CR, while the remaining Democrats have voted to keep the government closed. We can debate whether their reasons are valid or whether ACA subsidies are worth holding America hostage, but it is simply a fact that the government is shut down because the Democrats have shut it down.
Republicans could end this today without any democrats if they really wanted to
Oh, how so? Give in to the bratty ‘Crats to all of their demands to reverse what they voted on under Biden?
Or the way Matthew suggests and end the filibuster.
That, or the master deal maker trump could get involved, that is, if he has time between all his MRIs and cognitive tests
Nah, Doug, Republicans caused the shutdown when they failed to earn enough votes to pass a bi-partisan budget. That’s it. Real simple. You can lie, distract, defame, etc. Doesn’t matter.
Here’s another quote from your Dear Leader on the topic: “I hear the Democrats are going to be blamed and the Republicans are going to be blamed. I actually think the president would be blamed. If there is a shutdown I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He’s the one that has to get people together.” –DJT.
You can’t make this stuff up. Bah!
No, the Republicans have shut down the government of which they currently control every branch. Republicans knew in July that the Democrats would not support a spending bill before they forced through a unpopular, and meekly supported ‘big beautiful bill’ without any hearings, input or discussion with the Democrats. That is not how democracy works. Republicans started this, and now must finish it.
The idea that the Democrats are responsible for this shut down because they don’t continue to roll over and let the Republican party turn America into an autocracy is so ignorant, misinformed, and quite simply dumb that it could only be parroted by a Republican.
This current Administration is nothing but a complete cadres of INCOMPETENCE FROM TGE TOP DOWN. ♂️. And for Mike Johnson to stand there and deflect blame onto Democrats is really choice. The maggots control ALL 3 BRANCHES. DIMWIT DONNY could have ended this long ago by bringing both sides to the White House to hammer out a deal (because no one makes better deals than me. I’m Mr. Art of the Deal) but he’s too busy giving 40M to bail out his Buddy in Argentina and elsewhere. He has ZERO intention of helping Americans. Tuesday was just a preview of what’s coming down the pike whether or not maggots want to accept reality or not.
Trump and Republicans are to blame; they control all three branches of the federal government right now; they can negotiate in good faith with Democrats on a bi-partisan budget today, but they don’t think they need to. This is all a show to Trump and the Republicans, and they don’t care who they hurt, so long as they and the wealthiest get theirs. It’s shameful. The Republicans are holding American hostage.
The Senate voting has been for nothing more than extending the existing budget- the same budget approved under the Biden administration. The Republican and a couple Democrat Senators continue to vote to extend, while the majority of the Dems insist on a new budget filled with their wish lists. Negotiations for a new budget can occur going forward, but for now they must simply vote to extend and get the government open again.
Tee Jay, you are lying, and you know better. Passing their budget is not the same outcome for Americans, at all.
For those who don’t know already, recall that earlier this year, Trump and the Republicans passed the ‘The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ which gave tax cuts to the ultra-rich while taking away healthcare for tens of millions of Americans.
So, passing their budget without adding healthcare subsidies means those folks are likely gonna die. Yeah, that may sound hyperbolic, but it’s real, and it’s more honest than what you suggested above.
The good news : Only three more years of The Retribution Government. If the skys are so unsafe make Trump’s weekly trips to Florida cease Immediately. I am fine with an extended shut down but feel that trump now destroying another industry ( travel ) is just a product of his inept presidential skills.
You never heard of Arctic Frost, eh?
Justice isn’t retribution.
Retribution is synonymous with the Biden DOJ
Sweetie you are so far gone you have lost the ability to understand the notion of crime and justice. Trying to find injustice to suit your narrative is a waste of time. You should try to solve the problem in front, not in the rear view mirror. That is retribution.
It’s even better… just 361 days until the midterms. “Hope is alive!”
Oh, and here’s another timely quote from DJT: “The United States’ President has to get this done. It’s pretty sad because the whole world is looking at us and laughing at us.”
He’s ownin’ himself. Bahaha!
Would it have been any different if the controllers had gone on strike like the early 80’s. I got tangled in that mess!!
The airlines will need to throttle back. The smaller markets (and affiliate regional providers) will take the hit while the trunkline carriers maintain the cash cow transcontinental and TALT/TPAC flights.
I hear the seats on Amtrak are going quick…..Time to Get Aboard!!
Smart politicians would create an environment where shutdowns can’t happen. Smart Americans would realize this is just Dems using the fact that Americans aren’t so smart. This is about less left Dems fearing far left Dems will replace them. So, the hill they will die on is continuing temporary Covid subsidies to the ACA.
Indeed affordable health care is the hill many will literally die upon. Trump has repeatedly stated he would offer an alternative plan since 2016 and done nothing. So now in a crisis the people have nothing. Surely you are Alert to this issue?
Let the poor die due to no insurance, let the middle not fly because we want the poor to die, all while the ultra rich aren’t affected as they fly private