Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the FAA will throttle operations by ten percent at 40 of the busiest airports beginning Friday unless Congress ends the shutdown.
- The agency will publish the final list of affected airports on Thursday, with industry reporting indicating many Core 30 hubs are likely to be included.
- Capacity will be managed through Ground Delay Programs, extended departure clearance times, miles‑in‑trail spacing, Airspace Flow Programs, and coordinated slot adjustments with airlines.
- Impact estimates vary, with Avgeekery projecting roughly 4,000 fewer daily flights while Cirium cites about 1,800 flights and 268,000 seats removed.
- Airlines are adjusting schedules and issuing waivers, American says most customers may not be affected, Southwest is evaluating impacts, and smaller airports expect indirect ripple effects from rerouted travelers.