40 Airports In US May Cut Flights By 10% As Govt Shutdown Enters 37th Day

Last Updated:November 06, 2025, 21:03 IST

The government shutdown, which began last month, has led to severe flight disruptions across the nation due to a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCs).

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. (Reuters)

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that air travel capacity can be reduced by up to 10% at 40 major airports across the country in the coming days, as the government shutdown – the longest in US history – entered its 37th day.

The government shutdown has continued as Democrats refused to vote for any deal without assurances on extending Joe Biden-era health insurance subsidies, while Republicans have refused to move forward unless those demands are withdrawn. The shutdown crossed the 36-day mark on Wednesday, beating the previous record during President Donald Trump’s first term.

The government shutdown has led to severe flight disruptions across the nation due to a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCs). New York airports, John F Kennedy, Newark Liberty and LaGuardia are all under restrictions due in part to reduced staffing at control towers.

In a press briefing, Bryan Bedford, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that domestic flights can be cut in the coming days as air traffic controllers had been reporting fatigue due to the shutdown, according to the BBC.

Around 1.4 million federal workers, from air traffic controllers to park wardens, are working without pay or are on forced leave, as the US Congress remains at an impasse over a federal funding budget. Several employees are falling ill with stress or being forced to take second jobs, as per worker unions.

What This Means?

Bedford said air traffic controllers had not been paid in over a month, which can lead to the planned flight reductions. The flight reductions will be gradual, starting at 4% of domestic flights on Friday, then rising to 5% on Saturday and 6% on Sunday, before hitting the full 10% next week, according to a report by Reuters.

CBS News reported that the list would include some of the nation’s busiest hubs, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta , Dallas/Fort Worth , Denver , Chicago O’Hare and Los Angeles .

The planned cancellations could affect between 3,500 and 4,000 flights per day. However, international flights will not be affected by this measure.

Duffy maintained that the decision to cancel the flights was being made to maintain safety and efficiency. However, if the shutdown continued, additional restrictive measures might come into effect.

Impact On Airlines

Meanwhile, American Airlines said in a statement that it was awaiting additional information from the FAA so it could determine which flights will be scrapped, but expected that the “vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected", BBC reported.

Additionally, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines said the company was still assessing the impact of the flight restrictions on its services and would inform customers as soon as possible. It also appealed to Congress to immediately resolve the ongoing impasse.

Since the shutdown came into force on October 1, the Trump administration has slashed jobs in education, health and other areas that were supported by Democrats. The White House has announced one reduction in force affecting 4,100 workers, with the biggest cuts happening at the departments of Treasury, Health and Human Services, Education and Housing and Urban Development.

News world 40 Airports In US May Cut Flights By 10% As Govt Shutdown Enters 37th Day

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