Industry body says 10,000 cancelled flights caused widespread supply chain disruption as the FAA contended with air traffic controller shortages
The US Airforwarders Association (AfA) has called on policymakers to quickly reverse the flight cuts that it had implemented during the record government shutdown that came to an end yesterday.
During the federal government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a 10% reduction in flying at 40 major US airports as it contended with air traffic staff shortages as a result of workers going unpaid.
The AfA said that the move had so far caused around 10,000 flights to be cancelled and added that it had resulted in widespread supply chain disruption.
The forwarder organisation said the reopening of government must include immediate steps to reimburse the 1.4m unpaid federal workers, increase flight capacity, resume export license processing and “restore the stability that businesses and supply chains need”.
Speaking at the Air Cargo Americas conference in Miami, Brandon Fried, AfA executive director, said: “We now need a rapid return to predictable operations. Forwarders and their customers have endured weeks of uncertainty, strained service levels, and reduced airport capacity.
“Restoring full staffing and reversing the cuts in flight capacity is essential to keeping cargo moving, protecting economic activity, and ensuring that federal employees who kept working during the shutdown are paid promptly.”
Fried called for clear communication on the timeline for reinstating full capacity, noting that forwarders require dependable schedules to meet customer commitments and maintain supply chain integrity.
AfA said the escalating reductions in flight capacity highlighted the fragility of the system and the risks posed when key agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), operate with reduced resources.
