Airlines Comply With FAA Emergency Order To Cut Flights Amid Shutdown

DALLAS, TEXAS – DECEMBER 8, 2018: American Airlines passenger jets parked at their gates on a rainy morning at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport which serves the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, metroplex area in Texas. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

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The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an Emergency Order directing U.S. carriers to reduce scheduled domestic operations at 40 “high-impact” airports during the government shutdown, citing mounting strain on air-traffic controller staffing and rising system risk.

In the order, the FAA states the cuts are required. “To maintain the highest standards of safety in the NAS.”

The order takes effect on Friday, November 7, 2025, with 4% flight reductions required, gradually increasing to 10% by November 14. It applies to flights between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time. The FAA has not mandated cuts to international flights.

U.S. Airlines Begin Phased Schedule Cuts At 40 Airports Under FAA Emergency Order

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the FAA framed the action as a proactive safety measure, stressing that controllers have continued to work unpaid and that the agency will adjust the reduction levels in line with safety data.

“The FAA’s initial review of data indicates the system is stressed,” the aviation safety agency states in its order. “With continued delays and unpredictable staffing shortages, which are driving fatigue, risk is further increasing, and the FAA is concerned with the system’s ability to maintain the current volume of operations.”

The FAA’s newsroom posted a statement listing all 40 affected airports, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, and all three New York Airports (JFK/LGA/EWR), as well as both Washington D.C. airports (DCA/IAD) on the East Coast. American Airlines’ primary hub at Dallas/Fort Worth and Southwest Airlines’ home base at Dallas Love Field will also see flight reductions, as will Frontier’s base at Denver International Airport. In the West Coast, mandated flight cuts impact Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Alaska Airlines’ base at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, among others.

Controllers And Other Federal Aviation Workers Face Stress Under Zero-Dollar Paychecks

Controllers and other federal employees responsible for air safety have been working without pay since the government shutdown began, with many facing a combination of stressful life and working conditions.

The FAA indicates that “staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing. This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers. This past weekend, there were 2,740 delays at various airports.”  

Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford also confirmed, “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. The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”  

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy stated, “My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety. 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. It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”

The FAA’s emergency order sets phased reduction milestones (4% on November 7; 6% on November 11; 8% on November 13; 10% on November 14). It requires carriers to submit rolling seven-day reduction lists and warns airlines that they might incur civil penalties for exceeding the limits.

The DOT is also requiring airlines to issue refunds to affected passengers who wish to cancel their travel plans, regardless of ticket type.

How Airlines Are Complying With The Government Shutdown Flight Reduction Order

American Airlines said it has reduced schedules by about 4% at the 40 airports from Friday through Monday—roughly 220 cancellations per day—while still operating around 6,000 daily flights and contacting affected customers. The airline also included a statement in support of the nation’s controllers, TSA officers and other aviation safety personnel impacted by the funding shortfall.

“We’re deeply grateful to federal aviation workers who continue working without pay to keep our skies safe. This is unacceptable. We, once again, urge leaders in Washington to reach an immediate resolution to end the shutdown,” the airline stated.

Delta Air Lines announced it is reducing flights beginning November 7 in compliance with the FAA directive and is offering additional flexibility for customers, including Basic fare customers, during the affected travel period. “We will give customers as much notice as possible about any changes to their flights and apologize for any inconvenience these adjustments may cause,” the airline stated.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby published a memo to employees confirming the airline’s compliance with the FAA directive and outlining that it will implement reductions in phases as the shutdown continues.

“United’s long-haul international flying and our hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by this schedule reduction direction from the FAA. That’s important to maintain the integrity of our network, give impacted customers as many options as possible to resume their trip, and sustain our crew pairing systems,” Kirby stated. “Instead, we will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs.”

The airline will notify customers of flight changes via its app, website, and push notifications and will offer rebooking options. “We want to provide them with as much information as we can and in a way that’s simple and easy to understand,” Kirby stated. “And importantly, any customer traveling during this period is eligible for a refund if they do not wish to fly – even if their flight isn’t impacted. That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets.”

Southwest Airlines confirmed that it would implement a 4% reduction in flying across 34 airports on Friday. The airline cancelled around 120 flights scheduled for November 7 and planned further reductions for Saturday, November 8, expected to be fewer than 100.

“The vast majority of our Customers’ flights will not be disrupted, and Southwest will communicate directly with affected Customers as soon as possible,” the airline stated in an update on its compliance with the FAA Emergency Order. “All Southwest Customers with travel booked through next Wednesday, November 12, may choose to adjust their travel plans at no cost or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected. International flights will not be impacted. We will continue to update Customers as this situation evolves.”

Denver Airport May Cover Wages For Air Traffic Controllers During Shutdown

In its announcement regarding the FAA’s reduced air traffic order, Denver International Airport’s CEO also expressed support for FAA staff affected by the government shutdown and offered to cover missed wages for controllers.

“This is a critical time for travel both here at DEN and around the country. Staffing issues are already being identified at a number of airports, impacting travel. As the shutdown drags on, air traffic controllers, in particular, are being stressed unnecessarily,” said the airport’s CEO Phil Washington. “As part of our airport family, it’s our hope that we can reduce the hardship on them by covering their wages during the shutdown, with reimbursement by the FAA later. We would love to be able to do more and provide wage support for all the federal workers at DEN, as they are all critical to our operation, but given the number of federal employees, we are only able to support controllers at this time.”

Denver airport has also opened “a food and essentials pantry” for the Transportation Security Administration, FAA, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal employees working at the airport without pay during the shutdown. Denver’s airport community has been donating non-perishable food, toiletries, baby supplies, pet supplies, and collecting funds to support the federal workers. The airport is also appealing to the public for donations.

“DEN’s federal employees continue to do all they can to ensure our airport operates efficiently, without getting paid. But as this shutdown continues, just getting to work and covering the everyday expenses of life becomes increasingly challenging for many of the 1,800 federal workers at DEN,” Washington said. “As an expression of our gratitude and support, we have set up a pantry and are collecting monetary contributions to help make this difficult time a little more bearable for our federal colleagues. We welcome the public’s help in providing additional support.”

Trending: Is American Airlines Shutting Down?

As a result of the government-mandated flight cuts, American Airlines’ separate announcement around the same time of planned staffing reductions to adjust costs, and an unfortunate choice of words in a Daily Mail post, the airline’s fate came into doubt yesterday, with rumours of its closure flaring on social media. The question “Is American Airlines shutting down?” began to trend on Google.

As Snopes found, it all began with the British tabloid Daily Mail posting an image on Facebook that included the statement, “American airline announces immediate shutdown after 66 years of service.” The post has since been removed. However, the article referred to the insolvency of Alaska-based carrier Kenai Aviation, which ceased operations while seeking fresh funding. While Kenai Aviation is an “American airline,” it is not American Airlines.

The Fort Worth-based carrier has been operating for nearly 100 years (not 66) since April 15, 1926. It will continue flying, though it will reduce schedules to comply with the FAA mandate. As Reuters reported, American Airlines will also cut some management and administrative jobs to achieve $750 million in cost reductions by the end of this year. Still, these are minor adjustments that do not significantly impact its operations nor reflect an airline in trouble.

What Happens On Thanksgiving Over U.S. Skies Is Still Unkown

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, many air travellers will have concerns about their travel plans. Last year, air travel hit an all-time record with over 31 million passengers flying on U.S. airlines.

The FAA will continue to monitor operations and said it can scale actions based on safety data. The 10% reduction in flights will have a limited impact on most air travel plans and will relieve cascading flight delays across the system. Those who plan to fly to or from the 40 airports included in the reduction should check their airline’s announcements. With a guaranteed refund policy, some passengers can choose to cancel any non-essential travel.

The TSA’s Transport Security Officers are working security checkpoints across the country without pay, and travellers should be mindful of that as they go through crowded lines at the airport.

Approval of the funding required to end the government shutdown could come before peak holiday traffic, though that will be entirely up to lawmakers. If it does not, the continuing funding lapse could force the FAA and DOT to make further flight reductions to keep the system safe.