US officials have announced a 10 percent reduction in flight capacity across 40 of the nation’s busiest air traffic zones beginning Friday, as the United States continues to grapple with its longest-ever government shutdown.
The shutdown, which began after Congress failed to approve funding beyond September 30, has paralysed several federal agencies, leaving about 1.4 million workers — including air traffic controllers and park wardens — either furloughed or working without pay.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the development during a White House briefing on Wednesday, stating, “There is going to be a 10 percent reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations.” Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford added that the cuts would affect “40 high traffic environment markets.”
A proposed list obtained by CBS News suggests that major airports in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City could be among those impacted. The Department of Transport and the FAA have yet to confirm the specific airports involved.
The shutdown officially became the longest in US history on Wednesday, surpassing the 35-day record set during former President Donald Trump’s first term. In that 2019 shutdown, a wave of air traffic controllers and airport staff calling in sick rather than working unpaid had caused widespread delays, prompting Trump to reopen the government.
Currently, over 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are working without pay, and the White House has warned that growing absenteeism could lead to chaos at airport check-in lines.
House Speaker Mike Johnson disclosed in late October that staffing shortages had initially caused five percent of flight delays, but that figure has now surged to over 50 percent. He warned that “the longer the shutdown goes on, and as fewer air traffic controllers show up to work, the safety of the American people is thrown further into jeopardy.”
The political deadlock over healthcare spending remains at the core of the shutdown. Democrats have insisted that funding will only be restored once an agreement is reached to extend health insurance subsidies that make medical care affordable for millions of Americans. Republicans, however, maintain that healthcare discussions should come only after Democrats agree to reopen the government.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Democrats by threatening large-scale federal layoffs and targeting social welfare programs. On Tuesday, he reiterated his administration’s threat to halt a key nutrition aid program that supports 42 million Americans — the first such move in over 60 years — despite courts blocking the attempt.
In a later statement, the White House clarified that it was complying with legal obligations and working to ensure partial payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were delivered “as much as we can and as quickly as we can.”
