The FAA is cutting 10% of flights in 40 busy markets to ensure safety during the government shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration is cutting flights across 40 of its busiest markets to maintain safety in American airspace amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during a press conference on Wednesday that the FAA was reducing flight capacity by 10% at 40 high-volume locations starting Friday.

Duffy said it was a "proactive" measure in response to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, who he said are under increasing pressure and will soon go a month without pay.

"This is about where is the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure," he said.

Since the government shutdown on October 1, there has been an increase in staffing shortages and a rise in delays and cancellations at airports across the United States.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency would be working with airlines to determine how the flight reduction would be implemented. He said if there are additional staffing issues, additional measures would be taken.

"The data is telling us we need to do more, and we are going to do more," he said at the press conference. "I want to reassure the American travelers that it is absolutely safe to fly in the American skies."

Bedford also said that, in his 35 years in the industry, he was not aware of a similar measure ever being taken, adding, "We're in new territory" in terms of the government shutdown.

The shutdown, which has lasted for 36 days, is the longest in American history.

"The decision to reduce scheduled flight capacity, while necessary to keep our skies safe, will inevitably affect the travel experience, leading to fewer flights, longer delays, and more disruptions for travelers," Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the US Travel Association, said in a statement provided to Business Insider. "All government shutdowns are irresponsible, and this decision underscores the urgent need to reopen the government."

When emailed for comment, the FAA sent an auto-reply with the following statement on air traffic controller staffing: "As Secretary Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system. When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations."

It's not clear what flights will be cut, but the impact could be significant

It's not yet clear how the reductions will be implemented or what flights will be cut.

Sean Cudahy, an aviation reporter at The Points Guy, said because this will likely impact 40 of the busiest airports, which include major airline hubs, "you're going to feel this impact across the entire country because these are going to be hubs that have flights going to every city imaginable."

According to data compiled by Cirium, the aviation analytics company, a 10% reduction in flights at the 40 busiest airports could result in as many as 1,800 flights and 268,000 seats cut.

At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, for instance, if 10% of flights on Friday are cut, that would impact 121 flights and 14,524 seats, according to Cirium.

"If I have a flight this weekend or next week, I would definitely be concerned about whether that's going to take off and especially take off on time," Cudahy said.

Cudahy said he expects more specific information to be released in the coming days, but recommended that travelers keep up to date with their airlines and check their apps regularly for updates.

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