FAA cuts to air traffic begins Friday as government shutdown continues

Elevated view of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Oahu, Hawaii with the Pacific Ocean behind. (Getty Images)

Hawaii officials are urging the federal government to rethink its sweeping flight-reduction mandate, warning that the state’s geographic isolation makes the cuts uniquely harmful, according to reporting from Pacific Business News.

In a letter Friday to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the Hawaii Department of Transportation requested a full waiver from the FAA’s order requiring airports to scale back flights by up to 10% amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport is among 40 airports subject to the reductions. Hawaiian Airlines says it will cancel 36–40 flights a day through Sunday, prioritizing high-frequency routes to reduce chaos for travelers, with 10 cancelled on Friday alone.

State officials argue Hawaii has no alternatives for commerce, health care, or national security. Airlines are offering flexible rebooking and refunds, but warn that continued cuts could disrupt both tourism and cargo.

“We strongly urge federal leaders to reach an immediate resolution,” Hawaiian Airlines said, praising unpaid controllers and TSA officers keeping airports running.

The Kansas City Chiefs United Airlines flight comes in for a landing behind the air traffic control tower for Super Bowl LVIII at Harry Reid International Airport on February 04, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game will be played between the Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers on February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. (Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Las Vegas is staring down another major setback to its already shaky tourism rebound, as federal flight cuts ripple across the country.

According to new reporting from SFGate, Harry Reid International Airport is among 40 airports where the FAA has ordered up to 10% of flights canceled due to unpaid air-traffic controllers during the government shutdown.

By early Friday afternoon, more than 185 flights were delayed or canceled in Las Vegas, with Southwest Airlines hit hardest, SFGate noted.

Local tourism leaders say the disruptions come at the worst possible moment. The U.S. Travel Association joined by MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, The Venetian, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, warned in a letter that the shutdown has already cost the travel industry $4 billion and urged Congress to act before Thanksgiving.

SFGate also reports early signs of traveler jitters: reservation agents at multiple Strip resorts say cancellations have ticked up as visitors rethink trips.

Las Vegas Advisor publisher Anthony Curtis told the outlet the city was already dealing with declining visitation and rising prices: “This just adds another layer to it. Everybody’s nervous here.”

Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas, posted a video to X on Friday walking outside the U.S. Capitol and hammering Democrats over the "Schumer Shutdown."

Speaking directly to the camera, Cruz linked nationwide travel chaos to stalled negotiations in Washington.

“Enough is enough,” he said, citing FAA-required cancellations of 10% of flights as unpaid air-traffic controllers continue reporting to work. Cruz claimed more than 500,000 Americans are seeing their flights canceled each day, calling it “wrong” and avoidable.

He closed with another jab at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: “End the shutdown. Pay the controllers. Get our flights back flying. Open the government.”

In a fiery post to social media Friday afternoon, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., claimed flight delays and cancelations are "a direct result of the Republican shutdown."

"If Republicans really cared about paying air traffic controllers and airport workers, they'd bring us back in session and return to the negotiating table immediately," Lee wrote in an X post.

Lee, who was previously endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., made headlines in May when she reintroduced legislation pushing for federally-funded reparations for descendants of enslaved people brought from Africa to the U.S.

She has been outspoken about the ongoing shutdown, accusing Republicans of "officially caus[ing] the longest government shutdown in U.S. history."

As day 38 of the disruption comes to a close, Democrats argue the proposed bill fails to address key priorities, while Republicans push to maintain existing spending levels.

"We can & should ensure folks can afford healthcare, fund SNAP, AND reopen the government," Lee wrote in a Nov. 5 post on X. "@SpeakerJohnson, stop the games & bring us back in session so we can do the work of the people."

President Donald Trump and Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy on Friday called on members of the U.S. Senate to remain in Washington, D.C. until a deal is reached to end the ongoing federal government shutdown.

"If they can't reach a Deal, the Republicans should terminate the Filibuster, IMMEDIATELY, and take care of our Great American Workers!" Trump wrote in a Truth Social post.

Duffy responded to the president's message, noting "it's common sense."

"Congress, in case you've forgotten, you work for the American people!" Duffy wrote in an X post. "No Senator should be leaving Washington D.C. until our government is back open. It’s common sense."

The government has been shut down for 38 days, with staffing shortages putting added pressure on air traffic controllers across the country.

The FAA Air Traffic Control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Va., U.S., on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (Photo by Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday night issued a new operations plan advisory, noting "several more staffing triggers have been added since the last plan."

Increased "staffing triggers" means more FAA facilities have reached reduced-staffing conditions than in the previous plan, which may cause additional flight delays or cancelations.

Officials noted the Las Vegas Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), which handles air traffic within a 35-mile radius of the city, is experiencing reduced-staffing.

In addition, the FAA said San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is planning a ground delay, and Teterboro Airport (TEB) is considering a ground stop or delay.

Air traffic control facilities that are currently short-staffed, include: Philadelphia Approach; Jacksonville Center South Area; Washington National Tower; Cleveland Center Area 4; Orlando TRACON; Houston Center Austin Area; Washington Center Big Apple Area; Houston TRACON; Albuquerque Center Southeast Area; Atlanta TRACON; Tampa Tower; Fort Worth Center Cedar Creek Area; Chicago TRACON; Southern California TRACON Coastal Area; Phoenix TRACON; San Francisco Tower; Las Vegas TRACON; and Burbank Tower.

American Airlines planes at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the Queens borough of New York, U.S., on Nov. 7, 2025. Airlines across the US began canceling flights scheduled for the coming days, as the longest government shutdown in history upends air travel and forces thousands of passengers to change their travel plans. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

American Airlines on Friday announced it still operating the vast majority of our schedule following an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive requiring airlines cut flights amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Due to the nationwide air traffic control staffing shortage, the FAA directed airlines to reduce schedules to maintain safe airspace operations.

"While this will impact our operation, we are still operating the vast majority of our schedule," American Airlines wrote in an X post.

The company added it is avoiding cancellations for long-haul international flights and minimizing cancellations on hub-to-hub routes.

A travel alert was issued, which allows customers additional flexibility and to request a refund without any penalty if they are traveling during the impact period.

"We’re deeply grateful to federal aviation workers who continue working without pay to keep our skies safe," the airline wrote in the post.

Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy tore into an ABC News anchor Friday after she questioned why he was not pressuring President Donald Trump to end the federal government shutdown, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grapples with an ongoing air traffic controller shortage.

ABC News' Kyra Phillips asked Duffy, "You're in the Oval, you're a big player in all of this. Are you seeing him in any way, shape or form, willing to step in and say, 'OK, enough is enough. We've got to have our military paid. We've all got to be able to fly and get around to work and to family. We need to pay our families that need their SNAP benefits.' Something … You've got to … something."

"Hold on," Duffy interjected. "That is the wrong question."

"Why is that the wrong question," Phillips shot back. "Because you have influence. You have his ear."

"In the Congress, they said, 'let's do a clean funding bill,' meaning the funding from the end of September is going to be the same in October with no changes," Duffy explained. "It's Democrats who said they want to shut down the government and use that as leverage to get what they want, not going through the legislative process, but going through the leverage process."

Both parties have blamed each other for the funding impasse, with Democrats arguing the proposed bill failed to address key priorities while Republicans pushed to maintain existing spending levels.

Duffy said if the administration decides to allow leverage techniques to work, "they will never end."

"You know how the process works," Duffy said. "There's a process in which you go through to pass bills. But shutting down the government, and then say[ing] that it's the president's fault when he isn't saying we should change anything with regard to funding—it's Democrats who are doing that."

"And so to be clear, Republicans, 14 times, have voted to open the government up," he continued. "You need Democrats to vote with Republicans in the Senate to pass a funding bill, and they're not doing it. They're voting to keep the government closed."

The transportation secretary later posted a video of the exchange on X, noting "Americans should be telling @SenSchumer and @RepJeffries: enough is enough!"

"Republicans have voted to open the government 14 times. At every turn, Democrats have voted NO," Duffy wrote in the post.

FedEx logos are displayed on airplanes parked at Los Angeles International Airport on Oct. 17, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

FedEx told FOX Business it is complying with new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight cuts and will continue to keep critical shipments, including medical supplies, moving without interruption.

A FedEx spokesperson said in response to the FAA’s new U.S. flight capacity adjustment order, the company "made the necessary operational modifications" to meet the requirements so the shipments continue to move safely and swiftly through its network.

Though FedEx did not divulge the details of the modifications, the spokesperson said contingency plans are in place to flex its integrated air and ground network to help protect against disruptions to time-sensitive, critical shipments including lifesaving pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other products.

"A majority of our flights operate at night, outside of the FAA-restricted daily timeframe, and we have confirmed with the FAA that our international flights will continue without interruption," FedEx wrote in a statement. "As always, safety remains our top priority."

A traveler waits with his luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., on Nov. 7, 2025. (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)

Airline passengers aren't guaranteed refunds for certain flight disruptions.

Under Department of Transportation (DOT) rules:

• If an airline cancels a flight or makes a major schedule change, passengers are entitled to a refund if they choose not to travel under the new terms.

• If a traveler accepts a significantly delayed or modified flight, or takes an alternative offered by the airline, they are not eligible for a refund.

• The DOT does not guarantee cash compensation beyond the refund.

The rules differ from a Biden-era proposal, later dropped by the Trump administration, that would have required airlines to provide more compensation for airline-caused delays and cancelations and created uniform refund standards for U.S.-related flights.

Passengers will get a refund if:

• Their flight is canceled and they choose not to travel.

• They purchased a fully refundable ticket they don't use.

• A flight is significantly delayed or changed and they decline to travel or accept vouchers.

• A flight departs from or arrives at a different airport, or the itinerary adds connections.

• Travelers are downgraded and choose not to travel. If accepted, the airline must refund the fare difference.

• Passengers with disabilities face new connecting airports or inaccessible aircraft.

Click here to read the full story on FOX Business.

FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.

A cancelled flight is displayed on a departures screen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. on Nov. 7, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)

Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy said Friday up to 20% of U.S. flights could be slashed within the coming weeks if the federal government shutdown continues.

Though the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is already starting to reduce flights to 10%, Duffy said as time goes on, more controllers will decide they cannot go to work and will seek a second job to make ends meet, according to a report from The Hill.

"With that, you might see 10 percent would have been a good number, because we might go to 15 percent or 20 percent,” Duffy said.

While he told the outlet the figure was "theoretical," he noted it remains a possibility.

"Could it go there? That’s possible. There’s no plan for that,” Duffy said. “I assess the data and how many controllers I have, and I’m just saying we’re going to make decisions based on what we see in the airspace to make sure we keep it safe. I hope it goes the other direction.”

The announcement comes as the government shutdown rolls into its 38th day, with staffing shortages putting added pressure on air traffic controllers across the nation.

A traveler walks past the departures board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on November 7, 2025. Hundreds of flights were canceled across the United States on Friday after the Trump administration ordered reductions to ease strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay amid congressional paralysis on funding the US budget. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

As of 7:30 p.m. ET Friday, there were at least 5,291 flight delays and 1,017 cancellations within, arriving in or departing the U.S., according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed active ground delays due to staffing at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

The average ground delay at DCA skyrocketed to four hours, with ground delays at other major airports averaging more an hour, FAA data shows.

The agency also issued departure delays due to staffing for IAH, PHX, Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Teterboro Airport (TEB).

Departure delays range from 30 minutes to nearly two hours, "and increasing," according to the FAA.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that air travel could take "days if not a week" to get back to normal once the government shutdown ends.

"If the government opens tomorrow — which it won’t, it doesn’t look like — it’s going to take us days to assess the controllers coming back into their facilities or their towers," Duffy told "America Reports."

"And then once we start to move those numbers back down to zero on our required 10%, the problem is the airlines then have to put those planes back on for booking again," he said.

Duffy said there will be a lag of several days to a week before airlines and airports can return to normal operations.

"It’s going to take some time for the airlines to respond. So once we see more controllers in the towers, then the airlines have to respond to that," Duffy said. "It can be days, if not a week, before we get back to full-force flights when the shutdown ends."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks to reporters during a visit to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Nov. 7, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Friday that major U.S. airlines are "going to lose millions of dollars" after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) slashed flights at airports around the country due to the ongoing government shutdown. 

In order reduce the strain on air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid since the start of the shutdown over a month ago, triggering staffing issues at airports across the county, the FAA is initiating a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 high traffic airports across the country.

"The airlines have been good partners. They don't love this. They're going to lose millions of dollars because of this. It's challenging for them to take down flights," Duffy told FOX Business Washington correspondent Grady Trimble at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

"And to those passengers that are upset, listen, call your Democrat senator. Fourteen times they voted no to open up the government," Duffy added. 

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Greg Norman. To view the original story click here. 

An American Airlines Airbus A320 plane passes by the U.S. Capitol dome in Washington as it comes in for a landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Nov. 7, 2025. (Photo by Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The FAA’s Command Center (ATCSCC) is reporting that the longest delay for flights arriving into Reagan National Airport (DCA) on Friday could reach 144 minutes — just over two hours.

In an alert, the agency said the Arlington, Virginia, airport is experiencing an average delay of about 83 minutes across affected flights.

It comes as the government shutdown rolls into its 38th day, with staffing shortages putting added pressure on air traffic controllers.

So far today on Friday, there have been more than 2,420 flight delays and 855 cancellations within, into or out of the United States, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

“The Points Guy” founder Brian Kelly shared his travel tips Friday for Americans facing flight cancellations and delays amid the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) nationwide air traffic cuts.

Kelly told “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade that travelers should stay proactive by turning on all flight alerts through their airline’s mobile app, ensuring their email and phone number are up to date, and confirming that carriers have their correct contact information in case of schedule changes.

Kelly warned that the system is already under strain, urging passengers to check airline apps frequently instead of waiting for updates.

“You may not get an email for a while, so be proactive especially if you booked your ticket with an online travel agency” he said.

“There's not enough working right with air traffic control, 80% in New York called out last week so this is like a Band-Aid on a gushing wound."

“Even if your flight’s not canceled, go to the bathroom, pack snacks, pack your own water — you really need to be proactive and plan for long waits,” he said.

He added that even if your flight is canceled, you are owed a full cash refund. He also advised to not settle for a voucher.

President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters during an event about weight-loss drugs in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on November 6, 2025. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)

President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his call for Republicans to end the Senate filibuster rule as the government shutdown entered its 38th day. His re-upped demand comes as FAA-ordered flight reductions have sparked travel woes across the country.

In a pair of Truth Social posts, Trump urged GOP lawmakers to invoke the “nuclear option" and scrap the rule.“Just say NO (Nuclear Option!). TERMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!” Trump wrote.

He followed with another post warning, “Republicans, terminate the filibuster and bring back the American Dream. If you don’t do it, the Dems will, and you’ll never see office again!”

The Senate filibuster rule requires 60 votes to advance most legislation, effectively giving the minority party power to block bills.

The chamber remains deadlocked, with Republicans unable to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to end the shutdown.

Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton said the Trump administration's decrease in air traffic was the "right call." (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images; Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images )

A Democratic lawmaker is backing the Trump administration’s decision to reduce air traffic amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said “safety must always be the highest priority” for the aviation industry in a statement Thursday evening.

“The decision by Secretary Duffy to reduce flights at America’s 40 busiest airports is the right call for the safety of the flying public,” Stanton wrote on X.

“Now it’s critical that Republicans and Democrats get together and reach a bipartisan agreement on a plan to reduce health costs and end the shutdown.”

He added, “Arizona deserves better, and so do the hardworking professionals who keep our skies safe.”

Stanton was among House Democrats who voted against the GOP’s funding proposal when it passed the chamber Sept. 19.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind. To view the original story click here. 

Travelers wait in line at a security checkpoint at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois on November 7 2025. Photo by Kamil Krzaczykski/AFP via Getty Images)

More than 800 U.S. flights have been canceled so far Friday as the Federal Aviation Administration’s air traffic cuts take effect.

According to FlightAware, the flight-tracking website, 821 flights within, into or out of the United States had been canceled since midnight as of 7:54 a.m.

Some of the nation’s busiest hubs were hit hardest, including New York’s John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, Chicago O’Hare, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Los Angeles International and Dallas-Fort Worth — all among the 40 high-volume airports targeted in the FAA’s phased reductions.

The site also recorded 656 delays so far today.

It comes as the government shutdown enters its 38th day.

A Frontier Airlines plane taxis near other planes parked at gates at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) will be reducing flights by 10 percent in 40 major airports around the country, including LAX, beginning tomorrow amid air traffic control staffing shortages due to the federal government shutdown. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The Department of Transportation late Thursday released measures that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will take in order to maintain safety in the national airspace system as the government shutdown continues.

In order to reduce the strain on air traffic controllers who have been working unpaid since the start of the shutdown over a month ago, triggering staffing issues at airports across the county, the FAA is initiating a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 high traffic airports across the country. 

The plan calls for a 4% cut in flights beginning Friday, and ramping up to 6% by Tuesday, Nov. 11. By Thursday, Nov. 13, the reduction will hit 8%, and finally 10% on Friday, Nov. 14.

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a news release. 

“The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations, and we will not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe.”  

The FAA said it will also prohibit some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) at facilities with staffing triggers; limit commercial space launches to non-peak hours; and prohibit parachute operations and photo missions near facilities with a staffing trigger.

Airlines will be required to issue full refunds to passengers affected by the order. Carriers, the DOT says, will decide which flights are canceled to reach the order’s goal. The order does not require a reduction in international flights.

By Alexandra Koch