Rabat – US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that air travel capacity will be reduced by up to 10% across 40 major airports if the ongoing government shutdown continues.
The decision, expected to affect only domestic flights, comes as air traffic controllers report increasing fatigue, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford said during a joint briefing with Duffy.
More than 1.4 million federal employees, from park wardens to air traffic controllers, are either working without pay or are on forced leave due to the funding deadlock. Unions have raised alarms that many are falling ill from stress or taking second jobs to stay afloat.
According to Reuters, citing four unnamed sources, the cuts will start gradually: 4% of flights cut on Friday, 5% on Saturday, and 6% on Sunday, reaching 10% next week.
The list of affected airports — all high-traffic hubs — is expected today, but US media report that it will include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Denver International, Chicago O’Hare, and Los Angeles International.
The cancellations could disrupt between 3,500 and 4,000 domestic flights per day, though international routes will remain unaffected.
“It is unusual, just as the shutdown is unusual, just as the fact that our controllers haven’t been paid for a month is unusual,” Bedford said.
The FAA chief also indicated that further restrictions could be imposed if the shutdown continues to strain the system.
The shutdown, which began on October 1 after Congress failed to pass a funding bill, stems from a fiscal deadlock between Democrats and Republicans.
It has since become the longest in US history, triggered by a dispute over whether to include funding for the Affordable Care Act in the government’s budget extension.
Essential workers, such as air traffic controllers, law enforcement, military, among many other categories, have been working without pay for weeks.
Duffy had warned earlier in the week that widespread cancellations were possible as half of the nation’s major airports faced staff shortages. Some airports have already experienced delays or temporary ground stops as controllers called out sick.
The longer the shutdown continues, officials say, the more severe its impact will be on the US.
For now, passengers are being urged to check flight statuses closely as the FAA prepares to implement the first round of cuts on Friday.
