Progressive capacity reductions beginning at 4% will escalate to 10% by mid-November as air traffic controllers work without pay during the 37-day shutdown
Image source: Shutterstock
The US Federal Aviation Administation's (FAA) decision to reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports will put additional pressure on an already strained supply chain.
Earlier this week, the FAA said that it would reduce flight capacity by 10% at the airports over safety concerns related to the US federal government shutdown, which has meant air traffic controllers are working without pay.
The cuts come as the industry enters the shipping peak season.
“This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers,” the FAA said. “This past weekend, there were 2,740 delays at various airports.”
A 4% reduction in operations will take effect on 7 November, ramping up to 6% by 11 November, 8% by 13 November and 10% by 14 November.
Brandon Fried, executive director, Airforwarders Association, warned that the move would put further pressure on supply chains and deepen the disruption already being felt across the aviation sector as the federal government shutdown enters its 37th day.
Fried warned that with essential federal employees, including air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, already missing paychecks, staff shortages will continue to mount.
“Air cargo depends on every part of the aviation ecosystem working in sync,” Fried said.
“When capacity is cut and federal employees are stretched thin, the supply chain slows, and the longer this shutdown continues, the worse it will get.”
The 40 affected airports are:
ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
BOS – Boston Logan International Airport
BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport
CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
DAL – Dallas Love Field
DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
DEN – Denver International Airport
DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport
FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
HNL – Honolulu International Airport
HOU – William P. Hobby Airport
IAD – Washington Dulles International Airport
IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport
IND – Indianapolis International Airport
JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International Airport
LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
LAX – Los Angeles International Airport
LGA – New York LaGuardia Airport
MCO – Orlando International Airport
MDW – Chicago Midway International Airport
MEM – Memphis International Airport
MIA – Miami International Airport
MSP – Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport
OAK – Oakland International Airport
ONT – Ontario International Airport
ORD – Chicago O’Hare International Airport
PDX – Portland International Airport
PHL – Philadelphia International Airport
PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
SAN – San Diego International Airport
SDF – Louisville International Airport
SEA – Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
SFO – San Francisco International Airport
SLC – Salt Lake City International Airport
TEB – Teterboro Airport
TPA – Tampa International Airport
