FAA Orders Flight Cuts at Orlando International as Shutdown Squeezes Air Traffic Control
Controller shortages during the shutdown prompted safety-focused cuts that are slated to intensify at Orlando next week.
Overview
- An FAA Emergency Order issued Nov. 7 placed Orlando International Airport on a list of 40 airports facing reduced scheduled operations starting today.
- FlightAware reported 56 delays and 29 cancellations at MCO as of mid-morning Friday.
- Local reporting says Orlando will see a 4% reduction in flights today, with a 10% cut projected next week that could affect about 100 flights per day.
- The FAA’s 10% cap across the 40 airports could eliminate thousands of flights per day nationwide, according to the agency’s materials cited in coverage.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of mass delays, widespread cancellations, and potential partial airspace closures, while MCO urged travelers to check with their airlines and noted TSA waits of over 30 minutes for general screening and about five minutes for PreCheck.