FAA to Reduce Flight Capacity by 10% at 40 Airports

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that flight capacity at 40 major U.S. airports will be reduced by 10% beginning Friday morning if the government shutdown has not ended.

“We’re noticing that there’s additional pressure that’s building in the system,” Duffy said at a news conference with Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford, addressing Tuesday’s fatal crash of a United Parcel Service jet in Louisville, Kentucky.

Neither Duffy nor Bedford gave details on the 40 locations affected by the capacity restrictions. The government shutdown, now in its 36th day, has strained the FAA as air traffic controllers have gone almost five weeks without pay, and many are either not reporting for work or have taken second jobs to make ends meet.