The Federal Aviation Administration will reduce US airspace capacity in dozens of “high-traffic markets” starting on 7 November, a sweeping and disruptive move intended to maintain safety amid air traffic controller shortages stemming from the US government shutdown.
“There is going to be a 10% reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations,” Department of Transportation (DOT) secretary Sean Duffy said on 5 November. “This is data-based… This is about, where is the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure.”
“Our number one priority is to make sure… you travel safely,” he adds.
The FAA has not identified the 40 affected markets but will do so on 6 November, says FAA administrator Bryan Bedford. The agency has also not specified how many flights will be affected. Its air traffic control (ATC) arm provides service to more than 40,000 flights daily.
“We will be meeting with the airline community this evening to talk [about] how we will move to implementation,” says Bedford. “We want to do this in an organised way. We want to make sure planes get where they need to get for maintenance, [that] crews get to where they need to be, as we start to implement this draw-down in service.”
The FAA will ask airlines to “reduce their schedules pro rata”, Bedford adds.
Flight data provider Cirium roughly estimates a 10% cut could force cancellation of 1,800 flights daily, affecting several hundred thousand passengers. That estimate is based on the 40 airports with the most scheduled flights. Top of the list are airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Los Angeles.
Carriers are scrambling to understand the implications and plan next moves.
“We are working with the federal government to understand all details of the new reduction mandate and will strive to mitigate impacts to passengers and shippers,” says trade group Airlines for America.
“Southwest Airlines is evaluating how the planned FAA flight restrictions will affect our schedule and will communicate directly with customers as soon as possible,” that airline says. “We continue to urge Congress to immediately resolve its impasse and restore the national airspace system to its full capacity.”
Bedford says the FAA acted because data shows building “pressure” in the airspace system, potentially posing safety concerns if left “unchecked”.
The pressure results from the ongoing US government shutdown that took effect on 1 October. During shutdowns, the FAA provides ATC services, but controllers like many other federal employees are not paid.
Facing an entire month without pay, many controllers have called out of work and taken other jobs, contributing to a staffing shortage and leaving remaining controllers fatigued, Bedford says. Safety concerns are evident from “voluntary safety disclosure reports coming in through air transport pilots”, he adds.
Officials insist the 40 affected markets were chosen purely based on data showing areas of highest risk. They say more markets could be added.
“There will be additional disruptions. There will be frustrations,” Duffy says. “Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
A wide range of trade groups have called on Congress to end the shutdown by passing a spending law, but lawmakers remain deadlocked. Democrats are insisting that a spending bill include health-care subsidies, while Republicans want spending remain at current levels.
