FAA to reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 'high volume' markets amid government shutdown
FAA to reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 markets
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 "high volume" markets beginning on Friday. FOX 5 NY's Briella Tomassetti has the latest details.
NEWARK, NJ - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 "high volume" markets beginning on Friday.
FAA cutting flights
The move is in direct response to the ongoing government shutdown, which has become the longest in United States history. The FAA says this will help maintain traveler safety, should the shutdown continue for the foreseeable future.
- MORE: FAA cuts flights amid shutdown — What to do if yours is delayed or canceled
- MORE: Thanksgiving travel at risk? How a government shutdown might impact your trip
Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the start of the government shutdown back on Oct. 1. Most have been on duty six days a week while putting in mandatory overtime, but others are calling out of work due to frustration, leading to a rise in delays and cancellations across the country.
Which airports are reducing flights?
Dig deeper:
According to Airports Council International - North America, below are the 40 airports with the highest passenger volume in the United States:
It's unclear, however, if these are the 40 airports that will be affected as of Friday.
Flight delays during shutdown
Dig deeper:
Normally, airlines strive to have at least 80% of their flights depart and arrive within 15 minutes of when they are scheduled. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said that since the shutdown began, the total number of delays overall has not fallen significantly below that goal because most of the disruptions so far have been no worse than what happens when a major thunderstorm moves across an airport.
FAA to cut thousands of flights amid government shutdown, NY travel expected to be hit hard
The FAA announced plans to reduce up to 10% of flights across 40 major U.S. markets — including New York — starting Friday, as the government shutdown stretches into its fourth week. With air traffic controllers working without pay and reporting mounting fatigue, officials say the cutbacks are essential for maintaining safety ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel season. The full list of affected routes will be released tomorrow, but travelers are already bracing for major delays and disruptions.
But on Sunday, only about 56% of Newark’s departures were on time – the FAA directs over 44,000 daily flights at the airport. Major airlines, aviation unions and the travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown as soon as possible by voting to support the clean funding resolution that Republicans have proposed.
The FAA Air Traffic Control tower at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, New Jersey, US, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop for some flights to Newark Liberty International Ai
The U.S. Travel Association said in a letter to Congressional leaders this week that the economy has already lost more than $4 billion because of the shutdown, and the industry worries the impact will get significantly worse if the shutdown continues into the holiday travel season.
What they're saying:
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency is not going to wait for a problem to act, saying the shutdown is causing staffing pressures and "we can’t ignore it."
"This is databased," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. "This is not based on what airline travels, has more flights out of what location. This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure."
Meanwhile, United Airlines released a statement following the FAA's announcement on Wednesday, saying, in part:
"The FAA's goal is to relieve pressure on the aviation system so that we can all continue to operate safely. That is the FAA's highest priority, and ours as well. No matter what environment we're operating in, we will not compromise on safety. These reductions will start on Friday, November 7, and we will continue to make rolling updates to our schedule as the government shutdown continues so we can give our customers several days' advance notice and to minimize disruption for them and for all of you."