On the 36th day of the government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — officials ordered airlines to cut 10% of flights at 40 major airports due to safety concerns, according to Reuters.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the plan on Wednesday, citing the growing strain on air traffic control operations as thousands of federal employees continue to work without pay. The move, set to take effect next week, will impact major hubs in cities such as New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that the cuts will begin at 4% and gradually increase to 10% next week. International flights are expected to be exempt from this requirement. Officials said the measure aims to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, as the FAA is currently short about 3,500 employees from its staffing target.
«We must make tough choices to ensure airspace safety,» Duffy said, adding that the order could be reversed once Congress agrees to reopen the government.
