FAA Mandates Major Flight Reductions Amid Shutdown Safety Concerns

The FAA has ordered a 4% reduction in domestic flights at 40 major U.S. airports due to safety concerns amid a government shutdown. Scheduled cuts will increase to 10% by mid-November, affecting domestic but not international flights. Space launches face new restrictions as well.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Thursday issued a directive for airlines to reduce domestic flights by 4% at 40 high-traffic airports. This decision, set to take effect at 6 a.m. ET on Friday, comes as a response to safety concerns linked to the ongoing government shutdown.

Initial details of this plan were reported by Reuters, which cited a draft order. According to the FAA's final order, the 4% reduction will be in place through Monday, with a more significant 10% reduction to begin on November 14. These measures are part of broader efforts to manage air traffic control effectively during this period.

While domestic flights are affected, the FAA has specified that international flights will continue as scheduled. The agency is also imposing restrictions on space launches, underscoring the wide-ranging impact of the government shutdown on aviation operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)