Washington– The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high volume” markets starting Friday morning to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown.
The agency is facing a staffing shortage due to air traffic controllers, who are working without pay, with some called to work during the shutdown, leading to delays across the country.
FAA Administrator Brian Bedford said the agency will not wait for a problem to occur to act, saying the shutdown is causing employment pressures and “we cannot ignore it.”
Bedford and Transport Minister Sean Duffy said they would meet later Wednesday with airline leaders to figure out how to implement the reduction safely.