At O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, November 3, 2025. NAM Y. HUH / AP
US officials said on Wednesday, November 5, that the scheduled capacity for flights was being cut by 10% from Friday in 40 busy air traffic areas of the country, with an ongoing government shutdown causing major staffing woes. "There is going to be a 10% reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told a news conference.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will announce the "high-volume markets" where it is reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the airspace safe during the shutdown, the agency said.
Experts predict hundreds if not thousands of flights could be canceled. "I'm not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we've had a situation where we're taking these kinds of measures," Bedford said Wednesday. "We're in new territory in terms of government shutdowns."
Subscribers only
