The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce flights due to an air traffic controller shortage.
The US will begin canceling flights starting Friday as the government shutdown continues.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce flight capacity by 10 percent in 40 “high-traffic” areas across the country starting Friday morning, its administrator, Bryan Bedford, announced Wednesday.
Bedford, speaking at a press conference alongside Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, said the decision was “appropriate” to reduce pressure on air traffic controllers, who will miss their second consecutive paycheck on Tuesday due to the record-long government shutdown.
As a result, controller absences have increased, leading to travel disruptions across the country.
“The data tells us we need to do more, and we will do more,” Bedford said. “And I want to reassure American travelers that flying in American skies is absolutely safe.”
The decision came a day after Duffy warned that the Department of Transportation (DOT) could be forced to close parts of the country’s airspace if the funding cuts continue. Duffy told reporters that air traffic controllers “can’t afford to miss two paychecks” and that the shutdown would place more “risk” on the country’s air travel system.
On Wednesday, Duffy described the FAA’s move as “proactive” and an attempt to keep the country’s airspace safe.
Source: Musitem Haber
