Washington: As the government shutdown entered its 36th day, the longest in US history, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday that the US government will reduce flight operations by 10% at 40 major airports starting Friday morning. He cited growing strain on air traffic control operations.
Between 3,500 and 4,000 flights per day, including commercial and cargo operations, are anticipated to be impacted by the action, which is termed as a precautionary step. The airports that would be cut were not immediately disclosed by officials, but more information is anticipated on Thursday.
“This is proactive,” Duffy said at a press conference, adding that the measure has no fixed end date. “We thought 10 per cent was the right number based on the pressure we were seeing.”
The announcement was made one day after Duffy threatened “chaos” in the sky the following week if the shutdown persisted.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) claims that the action was required to uphold safety standards in the face of staffing shortages brought on by the ongoing shutdown, which has left thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners and air traffic controllers working unpaid.
According to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, the organisation’s data revealed indications of employee tiredness and operational stress.
“As we slice the data more granularly, we are seeing pressures build in a way that we don’t feel, if we allow it to go unchecked, will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world,” he said.
As essential personnel, air traffic controllers must perform their duties even in the absence of compensation.
The FAA took an unusual step during a government shutdown with a 10% reduction in scheduled flight capacity.
Officials admitted that the action would result in more flight cancellations and delays nationwide, including possible disruptions during the approaching Thanksgiving travel season, which is one of the busiest times of the year in the US.
Major US carriers are represented by an organisation called Airlines for America, which stated that it is collaborating with the government to “understand all details of the new reduction mandate” and will endeavour to reduce the effects on shippers and passengers.
The FAA reaffirmed that the airspace is safe and functioning, but cautioned that if the shutdown persists, long-term staffing shortages may result in additional restrictions.
Delays at airports around the country have increased, and last weekend saw some of the worst interruptions. Over 5,000 flights to and from US airports experienced delays on Sunday.
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Photo: X/@SecDuffy
–IANS
