Longest US shutdown continues, authorities warn of 10% cut in air capacity

Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The shutdown in America is also going to affect the air service. The United States government will reduce flight operations by 10 percent at 40 major airports from Friday morning. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced this on Wednesday. The government shutdown in America has been going on for 36 days. Never before has a shutdown been this long in America. The Transportation Secretary cited the increasing pressure on air traffic control operations due to the shutdown.

This is expected to impact 3,500 to 4,000 flights daily, including commercial and cargo flights. Officials have not yet specified which airports will be affected. More information is expected on Thursday. "This is a proactive measure. There is no deadline for when this will end. We felt 10 percent was a good number based on the pressure we were seeing," Sean Duffy said at a press conference.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the move was necessary to maintain safety standards amid staffing shortages caused by the shutdown, which has left thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspectors working without pay.

FAA Administrator Brian Bedford said agency data shows operational stress and fatigue among employees. He said that if this issue is ignored, the safety of the airline system could be at risk. Bedford stressed that addressing this problem is essential to maintaining the world's safest airline system.

Air traffic controllers are considered essential employees and are required to work without pay. The 10 percent reduction in scheduled flight capacity represents an unprecedented action by the FAA during a government shutdown.

Officials acknowledged the move could lead to increased flight delays and cancellations across the country, including potential disruptions during the upcoming Thanksgiving travel period, one of the busiest times of the year in the US.

Airlines for America, a group representing major US airlines, said it was working with the government to “understand all the details of the new reduction order” and would try to minimize the impact on passengers and cargo.

The FAA reiterated that the airspace is safe and fully operational, but warned that prolonged staffing shortages could lead to further restrictions if the shutdown continues.

Airports across the country have seen a spike in delays; some of the worst disruptions were reported last weekend. On Sunday, more than 5,000 flights to and from US airports were delayed.