FAA to cut U.S. flight capacity by 10% from Nov. 7 amid government shutdown

WASHINGTON--The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a 10% reduction in scheduled flight capacity across 40 major U.S. airports starting November 7, citing the need to maintain safety standards as the federal government shutdown continues. The move marks one of the most direct operational impacts of the shutdown on the nation’s air transportation system.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the decision follows rising concerns over air traffic controller fatigue, based on voluntary safety-disclosure reports from airline pilots. “The data is telling us to do more,” Bedford said at a press conference. “We want to reassure American travelers that it is absolutely safe to be traveling in our skies.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added that increasing controller absences, caused by workers not receiving pay during the shutdown, have forced remaining staff to take on additional workloads, raising concerns about fatigue and safety. Neither official disclosed specific figures on call-outs, but both warned that airspace restrictions could tighten further if staffing and performance levels continue to decline.

According to preliminary analysis by flight data provider Cirium, the cuts could lead to as many as 1,800 canceled flights per day, representing roughly 268,000 seats removed from the system. Airlines and airports are now bracing for schedule changes, potential disruptions, and customer service challenges heading into the busy winter and holiday season.

Bedford said the FAA will meet with airlines to coordinate implementation of the reductions, asking carriers to proactively adjust their schedules to ensure consistency and minimize last-minute cancellations. The FAA plans to release details on which markets will face the deepest cuts following further consultations with industry stakeholders.

Although the FAA expects airspace capacity to be restored once controller performance returns to desired levels, officials emphasized that the timeline for full recovery will depend on staffing conditions, not directly on when the shutdown ends.

So far, the shutdown’s impact on airlines has been modest, with national on-time departure rates remaining above 85% across major hubs. However, aviation experts warn that sustained reductions could ripple across the travel ecosystem in the coming weeks, especially with the busy Thanksgiving travel period approaching.

The FAA and Department of Transportation said they will continue to monitor the situation and implement additional measures if needed to protect the safety and integrity of the U.S. airspace system.

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