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The Federal Aviation Administration will reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 major U.S. airports, a sweeping move that could ground or delay thousands of flights per day, officials announced Wednesday.
The restrictions, which take effect Friday morning, come as the FAA and the Department of Transportation brace for worsening staffing shortages amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the cuts will begin gradually, starting at 4% Friday and increasing to 10% in the coming days.
“Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible,” Bedford said at a press conference. “This is not about light travel locations — this is about pressure points, and how to relieve them before they affect safety.”
Airports and details
An FAA list obtained includes Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, Boston Logan, Chicago O’Hare, and New York City’s three major airports — JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty — among others.
The reductions will apply only to domestic flights scheduled between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., and international flights are exempt, officials said.
A source familiar with the plan said the final FAA order and complete airport list will be released Thursday, but the first reductions could start as early as that morning.
Industry reaction
The move marks an unprecedented step for the FAA, which has never before imposed broad capacity cuts across the nation’s busiest air hubs, Bedford said.
“In my 35 years, I have never seen this happen before,” Bedford told reporters.
Duffy defended the cuts as a “proactive” safety measure, saying the decision was based on data forecasting staff shortages in key air traffic control centers.
“We’re not waiting for a safety problem to manifest itself,” Bedford said. “The system is extremely safe today — and it will remain extremely safe tomorrow.”
Airlines are already adjusting to the order. United Airlines said hub-to-hub and long-haul international flights will not be impacted, and that all affected passengers — even those with nonrefundable tickets or basic economy fares — can request refunds.
Airlines for America, a trade group representing major carriers, said it is working with the government to “understand all details of the new reduction mandate” and mitigate disruptions to travelers and cargo operations.
Political and operational fallout
The announcement comes days after Duffy warned that the FAA could be forced to shut down parts of the nation’s airspace if the government shutdown continues into next week.
The FAA said the flight reductions will be proportional across airlines, taking into account carriers that already run limited service at specific airports.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Donald Trump has been briefed on the plan and is monitoring its implementation.
Airports affected (partial list)
- Anchorage International
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
- Boston Logan International
- Baltimore/Washington International
- Charlotte Douglas International
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
- Dallas Love
- Ronald Reagan Washington National
- Denver International
- Dallas/Fort Worth International
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
- Newark Liberty International
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
- Honolulu International
- Houston Hobby
- Washington Dulles International
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental
- Indianapolis International
- New York John F Kennedy International
- Las Vegas McCarran International
- Los Angeles International
- New York LaGuardia
- Orlando International
- Chicago Midway
- Memphis International
- Miami International
- Minneapolis/St Paul International
- Oakland International
- Ontario International
- Chicago O’Hare International
- Portland International
- Philadelphia International
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International
- San Diego International
- Louisville International
- Seattle/Tacoma International
- San Francisco International
- Salt Lake City International
- Teterboro
- Tampa International
