FAA Cuts Flights at 40 Major Airports During 2025 Shutdown
As the U.S. government shutdown of 2025 enters its sixth week on November 7, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced flight reductions at 40 major airports. These measures, driven by air traffic controller shortages and fatigue, mark a 10% cut in operations.
Impact on Passengers and Operations
On the first day alone, more than 790 flights were removed from schedules, leaving approximately 268,000 passengers stranded. The cuts have heightened fears of widespread holiday travel disruptions and airline cancellations throughout November.
FAA's Mitigation Plan
The agency is reducing flight volumes progressively—starting with 4% on November 7 and reaching 10% by November 14 during morning operations. This approach aims to protect safety and reduce overwork among controllers who have faced mandatory, unpaid overtime of six days per week.
Affected Airports
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)
- Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
- Denver International (DEN)
- Los Angeles International (LAX)
- Charlotte Douglas International (CLT)
- New York: John F. Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), Newark (EWR)
- Houston: George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), William P. Hobby (HOU)
- Chicago: O’Hare (ORD), Midway (MDW)
- Washington: Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD)
Broader Economic Effects
The air traffic reductions have caused ripple effects across the economy, slowing cargo shipments, disrupting business meetings, and straining the travel industry amid ongoing political stalemate.
“The reductions are a necessary but painful measure to maintain safety standards while protecting controller health,” said an FAA spokesperson.
Author’s Summary
In its sixth week, the 2025 U.S. shutdown has pushed the FAA to cut flights by up to 10% at 40 airports, causing major travel delays and economic disruptions nationwide.