Posted on 11/05/25
| News Source: WSJ
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was ordering airline traffic to be reduced by 10% at 40 airports while air-traffic controllers work without pay during the government shutdown.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said starting Friday, the reduction would help keep air travel safe as flight delays and cancellations pile up. The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, has exacerbated staffing issues in the ranks of federal transportation employees, leading to flight delays and long lines at security checkpoints.
“This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure,” Duffy said Wednesday at a news briefing.
As the shutdown has stretched on, travel businesses have sounded warnings about the impact on consumers and companies. A letter signed by nearly 500 companies and groups earlier this week called on Congress to pass a spending bill, and warned of chaos ahead for the holiday travel season if the shutdown continues.
Airline executives last week met with Vice President JD Vance and called on lawmakers to pass legislation to reopen the government.
Having now gone weeks without pay, some air-traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers have skipped work or taken side jobs, Duffy said Wednesday.