Measure aims to alleviate the situation of air traffic controllers who are working without receiving a salary, says secretary
The (Federal Aviation Administration, in Portuguese) ordered a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports in the United States from Friday (7.Nov.2025). Air traffic controllers are working without pay during the partial federal government shutdown triggered by the budget impasse between the White House and Congress.
The US Secretary of Transportation, (Republican Party), said that the reduction will provide security to air travel at a time of accumulation of . “It’s about identifying where the pressure is and how we can alleviate it”Duffy told journalists on Wednesday (Nov 5), according to the newspaper.
The names of the 40 airports should be announced this Thursday (Nov 6). The FAA estimates that it handles an average of 44,360 flights per day. The reductions could affect up to 1,800 flights on Friday (Nov 7), according to the aviation sector data analysis company.
On Wednesday (Nov 5), the federal government shutdown lasted 36 days and became the longest in the country’s history. THE shutdown has forced 13,000 flight controllers to work without pay and worsened staff shortages at airports, resulting in long queues at security checkpoints.
In October, for example, the FAA cited staffing shortages at airports in Newark and the southeastern United States, and even imposed delays on the ground in Los Angeles, averaging 25 minutes per flight, due to the impact of the shutdown.
After weeks without pay, some air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers have either missed work or taken temporary jobs, Duffy said. “I want them to show up for work, but I’m not naive enough to not understand that they are trying to find a way to fulfill their daily obligations.”he stated.
According to the WSJa letter signed by nearly 500 companies and entities called on Congress to pass a spending bill and warned of chaos ahead in the holiday travel season if the shutdown continues.
a group representing commercial airlines, said more than 3.4 million passengers were affected by delays and cancellations related to staffing shortages during the government shutdown.
The number of air traffic controllers in the U.S. has been insufficient for years, adding pressure to a profession that typically requires extensive training and long work hours. In early 2025, Duffy stated that the FAA would increase the salary of these professionals who are in training and simplify the hiring process.
Read more:
