FAA Will Cut Flights Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown

• The FAA has ordered a 10 percent reduction in flight capacity at 40 major U.S. airports as the government shutdown continues.
  
• The cuts are meant to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, but could lead to widespread delays and cancellations.
  
• Some major airlines say long-haul routes won’t be affected, but are still offering refunds or free changes for impacted travelers.

Major airlines are beginning to warn passengers of potential delays and cancellations as the Federal Aviation Administration mandates a 10 percent reduction in flight capacity at 40 different airports this week.

The FAA’s decision comes as the government shutdown drags on into its fifth week. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a post on X the cuts are “designed to alleviate pressure” on air traffic controllers who are considered essential employees and required to continue working during the shutdown, but are not currently receiving a paycheck.

“Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible,” Duffy said. “This is data-based … this is about, ‘Where is the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure?'”

The cuts are slated to go into effect on Friday. The full list of airports and routes that will be affected was not immediately clear, but the Associated Press reported most major airports were expected to be impacted, including those in large cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Major airlines across the United States were implementing plans to deal with the cuts. In an open letter, United Airlines said international routes and flights between the carrier’s hubs would not be impacted. Instead, the airline will focus on cutting regional flights and other domestic mainline flights. The company also said it will refund any passenger who wants to cancel their flight while routes are reduced, even if their specific flight isn’t impacted.

“The FAA’s goal is to relieve pressure on the aviation system so that we can all continue to operate safely. That is the FAA’s highest priority, and ours as well,” United’s CEO Scott Kirby said in the letter. “No matter what environment we’re operating in, we will not compromise on safety.”

Similarly, American Airlines said cuts would not affect its long-haul international routes and any “customers whose flights are cancelled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund without any penalty.”

Delta Air Lines also said its long-haul international flights would remain unaffected, and customers traveling to, from, or through impacted airports could cancel without a penalty.

A spokesperson for the industry group Airlines for America told Travel + Leisure the group was “working with the federal government to understand all details of the new reduction mandate and will strive to mitigate.” Even before the ordered flight reductions, the group told T+L that more than 3 million airline passengers had experienced a delay due to the shutdown.

Travelers with upcoming flights should carefully check their airline’s website or mobile app, or sign up for text alerts to monitor any changes. If their flight is affected, rebooking quickly is important.