Photo: Getty Images North America
40 airports across the nation will be hit with flight cuts as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reduces air traffic amid the government shutdown, per the Associated Press.
On Wednesday (November 5), the FAA announced that it will reduce air traffic by 10 percent across major U.S. airports on Friday (November 7) due to staffing shortages and fatigue among air traffic controllers who have been working without pay during the government shutdown.
The reductions, affecting airports in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, San Francisco, and more than two dozen other markets, mark the largest nationwide flight cuts in decades.
In a statement, the FAA said the move was necessary to preserve safety in the airspace system as controllers continue to miss paychecks due to the shutdown.
“We can’t ignore the strain our controllers are under,” FAA Administrator Michael Bedford said in a statement. “Safety remains our top priority, and these adjustments are a last resort to protect both passengers and personnel.”
The cuts could impact as many as 1,800 flights and more than 260,000 passenger seats nationwide, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Passengers are expected to start receiving cancellation notifications as early as Thursday (November 6).
United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and American Airlines said they would prioritize smaller regional routes for reduction and would offer refunds to passengers who choose not to travel, even for nonrefundable tickets.
On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the strain on the system is “unsustainable” and urged Congress to end the shutdown immediately.
“If this continues another week, we could see chaos in the skies,” Duffy said outside the White House. “Controllers can miss one paycheck. They can’t miss two.”
Airlines recommend checking flight status regularly and arriving early for weekend travel.
“Even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the system won’t bounce back immediately,” Bedford said. “Controllers need time to rest, reset, and safely manage traffic again.”
See the full list of airports where flight cuts will take effect below.
ANC – Anchorage International
ATL – Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International
BOS – Boston Logan International
BWI – Baltimore/Washington International
CLT – Charlotte Douglas International
CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
DAL – Dallas Love Field
DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National
DEN – Denver International
DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International
DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
EWR – Newark Liberty International
FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
HNL – Honolulu International
HOU – Houston Hobby
IAD – Washington Dulles International
IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental
IND – Indianapolis International
JFK – John F. Kennedy International
LAS – Las Vegas Harry Reid International
LAX – Los Angeles International
LGA – LaGuardia Airport
MCO – Orlando International
MDW – Chicago Midway International
MEM – Memphis International
MIA – Miami International
MSP – Minneapolis–St. Paul International
OAK – Oakland International
ONT – Ontario International
ORD – Chicago O’Hare International
PDX – Portland International
PHL – Philadelphia International
PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International
SAN – San Diego International
SDF – Louisville International
SEA – Seattle–Tacoma International
SFO – San Francisco International
SLC – Salt Lake City International
TEB – Teterboro Airport
TPA – Tampa International
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.