Saying that air traffic controllers are fatigued, the FAA will reduce airspace flight capacity by 10% in 40 high-volume markets beginning Friday, Nov. 7.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has repeatedly said in the past several weeks that there have been increased levels of call-outs by air traffic controllers, who aren't getting paid during the federal government shutdown.
In a press conference on Wednesday, FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said that FAA data, taken from voluntary safety-disclosure reports from airline pilots, is showing a concerning rise in controller fatigue.
"The data is telling us to do more," he said. "We want to reassure American travelers that it is absolutely safe to be traveling in our skies."
Neither Bedford nor Duffy provided data on the number of controller call-outs during a federal government shutdown that has dragged on for 36 days. Duffy said that often it's the same workers who are calling out and the same ones who are showing up. The controllers consistently going to work have grown increasingly strained, he said, in part because they are assuming the responsibilities of absent colleagues.
Possibly 1,800 canceled flights per day
Bedford said he would meet with airlines on Wednesday evening to discuss the implementation of the capacity cuts. He planned to ask carriers to proactively reduce flights across their daily schedules. Duffy said the FAA is going to "do this in a systematic way."
Bedford said airspace capacity cuts will be reversed when data confirms that controllers are functioning at the level the FAA wants to see.
They said the FAA will release which markets will be subject to restrictions on Thursday after more conversations with aviation stakeholders. The restriction will apply to commercial flights and other types of flying.
In a rough analysis generated quickly after the announcement, flight data provider Cirium estimated the cuts could amount to as many as 1,800 canceled daily flights totaling 268,000 seats.
U.S. Travel Association CEO Geoff Freeman said the FAA's decision, "while necessary to keep our skies safe, will inevitably affect the travel experience, leading to fewer flights, longer delays and more disruptions for travelers."
"All government shutdowns are irresponsible and this decision underscores the urgent need to reopen the government," Freeman added. "The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system, forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience. The fault for this situation rests squarely at the feet of Congress."
A restoration of airspace capacity won't be tied directly to the end of the shutdown, said Duffy, though he expects there would be a correlation between the shutdown ending and improved controller performance.
Duffy also warned that further airspace restrictions will be imposed if necessary.
Shutdown impact minimal on airlines so far
The FAA's decision to reduce flying came on a day when air travel was flowing smoothly across U.S. airspace. Among 19 large airports detailed in Cirium flight data, only San Francisco had a cancellation rate of more than 1%. Each of the 19 airports had on-time departure rates exceeding 85%.
Among those large airports, only Newark has had more than 1% of its flights canceled since Nov. 1, while most of the airports logged cancellation rates below 0.5%. Newark also has the lowest on-time departure rate this month at 74.4%.
For reference, the 10 largest U.S. carriers combined to cancel 0.7% of their flights in 2024. Cirium says 80% is a good systemwide performance for on-time departures.