The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a 10% reduction in air traffic at 40 high-volume U.S. airports starting Friday morning. Over 800 flights linked to the U.S. have already been cancelled, according to FlightAware.
The U.S. government shutdown, ongoing since October 1, has led to air traffic controllers working without pay for nearly six weeks. This has caused staffing shortages and delays. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford highlighted concerns about controller fatigue and safety, prompting preemptive traffic cuts.
“There’ll be frustration,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “But in the end, our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
Air Canada issued a statement to National Post:
“We are monitoring the situation and awaiting more details on the planned reductions. At this point, we are maintaining our normal schedule but for customers who may be connecting onto U.S. flights, disruptions are possible.”
Canadian travellers face potential disruptions as the FAA reduces traffic to handle staffing and safety challenges amid the prolonged U.S. government shutdown.
FAA flight cuts due to unpaid U.S. controllers amid the shutdown risk delays, with Canadian airlines monitoring the impact on cross-border travel closely.