Travellers across the United States faced growing uncertainty on Friday after a federal order requiring airlines to reduce flights at dozens of major airports took effect, amid record staff shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown.
The Trump administration directed airlines to scale back operations at 40 airports — including major hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles — starting with a 4% reduction on Friday. The cuts are expected to rise to 10% next week as the shutdown enters its sixth week.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended the move, saying it was driven by safety concerns rather than political pressure. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about assessing the data and reducing growing risks in the system,” he said.
The government shutdown, which began on October 1, officially became the longest in U.S. history on November 5, surpassing the 35-day record from Donald Trump’s first term. Tens of thousands of federal employees — including air traffic controllers and TSA staff — have been working without pay or taking unpaid leave, worsening staffing shortages and raising safety concerns.
According to FlightAware, more than 800 flights scheduled for Friday were cancelled. American Airlines announced it would cancel around 220 flights daily under the mandated reductions, while Delta cut roughly 170 Friday flights. CNN reported that Southwest Airlines had dropped about 100 scheduled flights for the same day.
Disruptions continued into Thursday, when more than 6,800 flights were delayed and nearly 200 cancelled, leaving passengers queuing for hours at security checkpoints. Travellers at Boston and Newark airports experienced average delays of more than two hours; Chicago O’Hare and Washington Reagan National faced delays exceeding one hour.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the government acted to prevent a potential disaster: “We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to fully manifest. Early indicators show action is needed now.”
The timing is especially concerning as the country approaches its busiest travel season, with Thanksgiving just weeks away. Millions are now bracing for severe travel disruptions.
Despite the chaos, the administration insists aviation remains safe. “It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive steps we’re taking,” Duffy said.
Airlines acknowledged the operational strain but said they would comply. United and Delta both confirmed the cuts would not affect international or major hub-to-hub routes, suggesting regional and local flights will bear the brunt.
Federal agencies nationwide have been stalled since Congress failed to pass a funding bill by September 30, leaving roughly 1.4 million federal workers furloughed or unpaid. High-stress aviation jobs have been particularly affected, with employees calling in sick or taking second jobs to stay afloat.
FAA chief Bedford called the situation unprecedented: “In my 35 years in aviation, I cannot recall a moment where we’ve taken measures like these. But we are in uncharted territory with this shutdown.”
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