FAA to cut flights by 10% at 40 major airports due to government shutdown
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford hold a press conference at U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters in Washington, DC, on November 5, 2025.
Thassos Katopodis | Getty Images
Transport Minister Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday afternoon that he would reduce flight capacity at 40 major airports by 10% from Friday morning, affecting approximately 3,500 to 4,000 flights per day.
It was not immediately clear which airports would be affected.
“This is proactive behavior,” Duffy said at a press conference.
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford said additional measures could be taken after the initial reduction.
“As we slice the data further, we see pressures building that, if we allow it to go unchecked, will not allow us to continue telling the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world,” Bedford said on Wednesday. he said.
Bedford added that management will meet with the airline community to decide how to move forward with implementing the reduction, which he said has never occurred before in the industry.
The government shutdown, which entered its 36th full day on Wednesday, is now the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
Duffy said he expects more cancellations as a result of the sale, which has an uncertain end date. “We thought 10% was the right number based on the pressure we were seeing,” Duffy added.
The move comes at a time when air traffic controllers are missing paychecks due to the government shutdown. Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration screening officers are among the essential government workers required to work during the shutdown.
The closure also raises concerns about already understaffing air traffic controllers, the FAA said. Staffing shortages at some FAA facilities have caused some flights to be disrupted since October 1.
Earlier this week, Duffy told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that he could “shut down the entire airspace” if the shutdown lasts long.
On Wednesday morning, National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that “it could take weeks to recover” from the effects of the government shutdown on air traffic controllers.
