Direct answer: Several major U.S. airports are expected to see a 10% reduction in flight operations in the near term due to the ongoing government shutdown affecting air-traffic control staffing. Context and specifics:
- Affects 40 high-traffic airports nationwide, with reductions beginning as early as this week and scaling up over the following days. Major hubs named in reporting typically include Atlanta (ATL), New York area (JFK, LGA), Los Angeles (LAX), Chicago (ORD, MDW), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Denver (DEN), Newark (EWR), and others in major markets such as Boston (BOS), Philadelphia (PHL), Miami (MIA), Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), and more. Travelers should anticipate adjusted schedules, possible cancellations, and longer queues at security and ticketing in affected regions. Department and agency briefings indicate the FAA is coordinating with airlines to implement the reductions safely and minimize disruption, but some impacts are inevitable as capacity is scaled back. If traveling soon, check with your airline for updated itineraries, allow extra time for connections, and stay tuned to official FAA/DOT briefings for the final list of affected airports, as the roster can evolve as the situation develops.
