Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced the preemptive reduction and said the final list of affected airports will be released Thursday.
- The move targets high‑volume markets after rising absences and fatigue reports among air traffic controllers working without pay since October 1, with TSA officers also unpaid.
- The FAA plans to use traffic‑management tools such as ground delay programs, miles‑in‑trail spacing and airspace flow programs rather than blanket cancellations.
- Impact estimates differ, with Cirium projecting about 1,800 flights and 268,000 seats affected daily and other modeling suggesting roughly 4,000 fewer flights per day.
- Officials warned further measures could follow if pressures persist, including limits on space launches and wider flow controls, as airlines and travel groups urge Congress to restore funding.