US to cut air traffic capacity by 10% at 40 major airports starting Friday amid shutdown
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that air travel capacity will be reduced by up to 10% at 40 high-volume airports starting Friday due to the ongoing government shutdown.
November 6, 2025 - 11:55 AM ET • 2 min read
The US federal government announced plans to reduce air traffic capacity by up to 10% at 40 high-volume airports beginning Friday if the ongoing government shutdown is not resolved. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford confirmed the planned reductions on Wednesday, citing concerns over air traffic controller fatigue caused by the budget impasse.
The cuts are scheduled to begin modestly at 4% on Friday, escalating to 5% on Saturday and 6% on Sunday, before reaching the maximum 10% reduction next week. The restrictions will affect passenger, cargo, and private air traffic, though international flights are expected to be exempted from the initial phase of cuts.
The FAA did not immediately specify which 40 airports would be impacted, but officials said a complete list would be released on Thursday. The reductions are expected to target the nation's 30 busiest airports, including major hubs serving metropolitan areas such as New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimated that a 10% reduction could eliminate as many as 1,800 flights and over 268,000 airline seats.
The decision to limit air travel capacity stems directly from the government shutdown, which became the longest in US history on Wednesday. The shutdown has forced approximately 1.4 million federal workers, including air traffic controllers, to work without pay or be placed on forced leave because Congress has failed to agree on a federal funding budget.
FAA chief Bryan Bedford described the planned flight reductions as "unusual," noting that the action was necessary due to reports of stress and fatigue among essential personnel. Unions representing federal employees have warned that many workers are becoming ill or are being forced to take second jobs to manage financial strain while working without compensation. Secretary Duffy warned that the capacity cuts, which primarily affect domestic flights, would inevitably lead to frustration among travelers.