FAA readies to list airports getting reduced flights during the government shutdown
Passengers traveling through some of the busiest airports in the United States can expect to find out Thursday. they will see fewer flights As the government shutdown enters its second month.
The Federal Aviation Administration will announce “high-volume markets” on Friday where it will reduce flights by 10% before the cuts take effect, agency administrator Bryan Bedford said. The move is intended to keep airspace safe during the closure, the agency said.
Experts predict that hundreds or even thousands of flights may be canceled.
“I’m not aware of a situation in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve taken these types of actions,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We are in new territory in terms of a government shutdown.”
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown began on October 1. Many work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side hustles that would otherwise help cover bills and other expenses.
Increasing staffing pressures forced the agency to take action, Bedford said at a news conference Wednesday.
“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA would not automatically resume normal operations until staffing numbers improve and stabilize.
Bedford and Transport Minister Sean Duffy declined at the press conference to name cities and airports where they would slow air traffic and said they wanted to meet with airline executives first to determine how the reductions would be implemented safely.
Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry are calling on Congress to end the shutdown. on wednesday It was the longest period ever recorded.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement that the closure placed an unnecessary burden on the system and “forced difficult operational decisions that disrupted travel and undermined confidence in the U.S. air travel experience.”
Yamat writes for the Associated Press
