Hundreds of Flights Cancelled Across U.S. to Maintain Safety
On Thursday, airlines across the United States began cancelling hundreds of flights as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented traffic reductions at the nation’s busiest airports due to the ongoing government shutdown.
According to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, more than 760 flights had been removed from airline schedules by late Thursday. The FAA's order affects 40 major airports across over two dozen states, including key hubs in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Several metropolitan regions, such as New York, Houston, Chicago, and Washington, will see multiple airports impacted. The FAA stated that flight reductions would begin at four percent on Friday and increase to ten percent by November, applying to all commercial airlines between 6 a.m. and local closing times.
“With continued delays and unpredictable staffing shortages, which are driving fatigue, risk is further increasing, and the FAA is concerned with the system's ability to maintain the current volume of operations,” the order reads.
The adjustments are intended to preserve safety standards as air traffic controllers struggle with fatigue and operational strain — many of them working without pay since the shutdown began in October. This move also coincides with the Trump administration increasing pressure on congressional Democrats to resolve the impasse.
Author’s Summary
Airlines cut hundreds of U.S. flights as the FAA reduces air traffic to uphold safety during the shutdown, while unpaid controllers face fatigue and mounting strain.