United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Delta Air Lines have started cancelling flights in response to a directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aimed at reducing flight operations at 40 major airports. The reductions are intended to address safety concerns stemming from a shortage of air traffic controllers due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has reached its 37th day.
The FAA has identified “high-volume markets” where a flight reduction of 4% is required starting Friday morning. This decision could lead to the cancellation of thousands of flights, resulting in increased delays and scheduling complications at some of the nation’s busiest airports. Delta has announced it will cancel 170 flights on Friday, with fewer cancellations anticipated over the weekend. Southwest plans to cancel 120 flights, while United is set to reduce its flight schedule by 4% from Friday through Sunday.
The affected airports include major hubs like Atlanta, Denver, and Los Angeles. Additionally, all three airports serving the Washington, D.C. area are among those impacted, which may affect travel plans for lawmakers and others.
In light of the flight reductions, airline executives have stated that safety remains a top priority. Delta indicated it would continue to operate a majority of its scheduled flights and offer flexibility for customers to change or cancel their travel plans without penalties. American Airlines reported that most customers would remain unaffected and continues to advocate for a resolution to the shutdown.
The FAA stated that these capacity reductions are essential to ensure safe airspace operations amid a shortage estimated at up to 3,000 air traffic controllers, many of whom have been working without pay due to the shutdown. The aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates that the cuts could lead to as many as 1,800 flights and 268,000 available seats being reduced overall.
As the holiday travel season approaches, the implications of the shutdown on air travel safety and capacity could become more pronounced, urging lawmakers to seek an agreement to end the budget impasse.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/06/us-40-airports-traffic-reduced