The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Emergency Order mandating a reduction in air operations to mitigate operational safety risks. The measure is a direct response to the "continued lapse in appropriations" (government shutdown), which has caused severe Air Traffic Controller (ATC) staffing constraints.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford outlined the proactive actions. "Our number one job is safety," Duffy said. "This isn't about politics – it's about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay."

Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since October 3, 2025. The FAA confirms this situation has led to "evidence of increased stress on the NAS" (National Airspace System) , as well as staff fatigue and increasing delays. Last weekend alone, 2,740 delays were recorded at various airports.

"We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely," Bedford added.

Phased implementation of cuts

The order requires certain carriers (operating under 14 CFR Part 121 and 135) to reduce their total daily scheduled domestic operations by 10 percent.

This reduction applies to 40 High Impact Airports (see list below) and affects flights scheduled between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time.

The implementation will be staggered to allow airlines to adjust , beginning November 7:

  • 4% reduction by 6:00 a.m. EST on November 7.
  • 6% reduction by 6:00 a.m. EST on November 11.
  • 8% reduction by 6:00 a.m. EST on November 13.
  • 10% total reduction by 6:00 a.m. EST on November 14.

Other affected operations

The emergency order is not limited to commercial airlines. To alleviate the burden on ATC staff, the FAA will also implement the following measures:

  • Space Launches: Prohibited during peak hours. Commercial launches and reentries will only be permitted between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time .
  • General Aviation: GA operations may also be reduced by up to 10% at High Impact Airports. The order specifically names Teterboro (TEB), William P. Hobby (HOU), and Dallas Love (DAL).
  • ATC Services: At facilities with inadequate staffing, ATC may elect not to provide certain services. This includes Radar Traffic Information Service , radar assistance to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) aircraft , and services to parachute operations.

Considerations for passengers and airlines

Affected airlines must issue full refunds for canceled flights. However, they will not be required to cover secondary costs (such as hotels or flights on other carriers), which is standard procedure when the cancellation is not the carrier's fault. International flights are not included in the mandatory reduction.

Given the need for airlines to coordinate the cuts, the FAA consulted the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ "is not presently inclined to initiate antitrust enforcement action" against airline cooperation exclusively for complying with this order, provided antitrust counsel is present during communications.

The order takes effect on November 7, 2025, and will remain in effect until canceled by the FAA , which is expected to happen once funding is restored and stress on the system has decreased.

List of affected airports

The 40 airports classified as "High Impact Airports" are:

  • ANC (Anchorage)
  • ATL (Atlanta)
  • BOS (Boston)
  • BWI (Baltimore/Washington)
  • CLT (Charlotte)
  • CVG (Cincinnati)
  • DAL (Dallas Love Field)
  • DCA (Washington-Reagan)
  • DEN (Denver)
  • DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth)
  • DTW (Detroit)
  • EWR (Newark)
  • FLL (Fort Lauderdale)
  • HNL (Honolulu)
  • HOU (Houston-Hobby)
  • IAD (Washington-Dulles)
  • IAH (Houston-Intercontinental)
  • IND (Indianapolis)
  • JFK (New York-JFK)
  • LAS (Las Vegas)
  • LAX (Los Angeles)
  • LGA (New York-LaGuardia)
  • MCO (Orlando)
  • MDW (Chicago-Midway)
  • MEM (Memphis)
  • MIA (Miami)
  • MSP (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
  • OAK (Oakland)
  • ONT (Ontario)
  • ORD (Chicago-O'Hare)
  • PDX (Portland)
  • PHL (Philadelphia)
  • PHX (Phoenix)
  • SAN (San Diego)
  • SDF (Louisville)
  • SEA (Seattle/Tacoma)
  • SFO (San Francisco)
  • SLC (Salt Lake City)
  • TEB (Teterboro)
  • TPA (Tampa)