The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a 4% reduction in flights at airports across the nation. The decrease will start at 6 a.m. ET, according to an emergency order that just released moments ago.
The reduction will happen at 40 high impact airports scattered throughout the country and on a schedule where the number of reductions will gradually increase, stopping at 10% by November 14.
The ongoing government shutdown, the longest in history, has caused air traffic controllers to work without pay and an increased number of staffing triggers at various airports nationwide.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy emphasized that these decisions are being made to ensure the safety of flights.
“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay. It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”
In addition to flights, the FAA will also:
- Prohibit some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) at facilities with staffing triggers.
- Limit commercial space launches to non-peak hours so they are prohibited between 11:01 a.m. and 2:59 p.m. UTC.
- Prohibit parachute operations and photo missions near facilities with a staffing trigger.
These measures stem from the FAA’s analysis of aviation safety data, including confidential reports submitted voluntarily by pilots and air traffic controllers. The findings show mounting strain on the system, leading to a higher level of risk.
The full emergency order can be found at the FAA website.
