The Federal Aviation Administration announced an unprecedented 10% reduction in air traffic across 40 high-volume markets starting Friday morning, marking the first time in U.S. history that flight operations have been curtailed due to a government shutdown.
The cutback could impact thousands of flights nationwide, as the FAA typically directs more than 44,000 flights daily. According to ABC News reporting, the affected airports include major hubs such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Los Angeles International, Chicago O'Hare International, and John F. Kennedy International.
The complete list of 40 affected airports includes:
- Anchorage International
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
- Boston Logan International
- Baltimore/Washington International
- Charlotte Douglas International
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
- Dallas Love
- Ronald Reagan Washington National
- Denver International
- Dallas/Fort Worth International
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
- Newark Liberty International
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
- Honolulu International
- Houston Hobby
- Washington Dulles International
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental
- Indianapolis International
- New York John F Kennedy International
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International
- Los Angeles International
- New York LaGuardia
- Orlando International
- Chicago Midway
- Memphis International
- Miami International
- Minneapolis/St Paul International
- Oakland International
- Ontario International
- Chicago O'Hare International
- Portland International
- Philadelphia International
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International
- San Diego International
- Louisville International
- Seattle/Tacoma International
- San Francisco International
- Salt Lake City International
- Teterboro
- Tampa International.
Scripps News has not independently confirmed this list, but the airports represent the nation's busiest travel hubs. The restrictions will remain in place as long as necessary.
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Airlines Respond to Flight Reductions
Airlines are taking different approaches to communicate with passengers about the disruptions. Southwest Airlines is telling customers to call Congress and urge an end to the shutdown. Frontier Airlines leadership has advised customers who need to reach their destinations on time to consider booking backup tickets.
American Airlines expressed more optimism, saying they expect the vast majority of their flights will not be impacted by the changes.
Safety Concerns Drive Decision
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned for weeks that if the shutdown lasted more than a month, air traffic controllers calling out would increase considerably. The current shutdown has entered record-breaking territory for length.
The FAA administrator said the decision was made in the name of safety to prevent tragedy due to overstaffed, overworked and unpaid air traffic controllers.
"We have seen staffing pressures throughout our airspace. Those who travel will see that we've had more delays. We've had more cancellations. We do not want to see disruptions." the FAA administrator said at a press conference.
Political Dynamics Shift After Election Day
While there was optimism earlier this week that a deal might be close, Tuesday's election results have added new complications to shutdown negotiations. Democrats won by wider margins than expected in Virginia, New Jersey and other states, leading some Democratic lawmakers to believe public opinion supports their position.
"I want my fellow Democrats to continue the fight for working families so that 20 million of them will not see a doubling of their health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act and 15 million will not be thrown off the house," Senator Bernie Sanders said.
Sanders added that more Republicans are beginning to understand "they're playing a losing hand."
Cracks Emerge in Republican Unity
President Trump made his most extensive remarks to date on the shutdown, calling upon Senate Republicans to end the filibuster and lower the 60-vote threshold needed to pass most legislation in the Senate to reopen the government. Senate Republican leadership disagrees with this approach.
Trump also said the government shutdown was a significant factor in Republican losses in Tuesday's elections. However, House Speaker Johnson disagreed when asked about this connection, creating the first visible rift between the president and Republicans on Capitol Hill regarding the shutdown.
Economic Impact Grows
The U.S. Travel Association estimates the shutdown is costing about $1 billion per week. Even if a deal were reached immediately, Senate rules could delay a vote for several days, and the House would need to be recalled to Washington to vote on any agreement.
