40 US airports hit by FAA flight cuts: Why airlines are grounding planes across America

The Federal Aviation Administration’s unprecedented order to slash thousands of flights in the United States is set to take effect on Friday morning.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told airline executives late Wednesday that flight reductions would begin with 4% on Friday, rise to 5% on Saturday, 6% on Sunday, and reach 10% by next week.

The order will hit 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, including major hubs in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Houston, and Atlanta.

Why is the FAA cutting flights?

The sweeping cutback, the first of its kind in US aviation history, is expected to ease the strain on unpaid air traffic controllers during the record-long government shutdown.

Many are logging six-day weeks with mandatory overtime, and growing numbers have begun calling out amid mounting financial stress.

The standoff has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and some 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents working without pay.

Airlines scramble

Major carriers began preemptively cancelling flights on Thursday in anticipation of the FAA’s order. More than 780 flights had already been called off nationwide by evening, according to tracking service FlightAware.

Delta Air Lines said it would cancel around 170 flights on Friday, while American Airlines planned to cut roughly 220 daily flights through Monday.

Airlines said they were focusing on trimming routes to and from smaller and mid-sized cities to limit disruptions at major hubs.

Carriers including American, Delta, United, and Southwest said they would waive change fees and allow passengers to rebook or cancel flights through the weekend at no charge.

Industry analysts warned that disruptions could cascade through the entire aviation system.

Will international flights be affected?

No. The FAA said the cuts, which apply to flights between 6 am and 10 pm, will not affect international routes. The agency also imposed restrictions on space launches and general aviation.

The slowdown could also disrupt cargo deliveries, as two major freight hubs, FedEx’s base in Memphis and UPS’s in Louisville, are among the affected airports.

List of impacted airports

1. Anchorage International in Alaska

2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International in Georgia

3. Boston Logan International in Massachusetts

4. Baltimore/Washington International in Maryland

5. Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina

6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International in Kentucky

7. Dallas Love Field in Texas

8. Ronald Reagan Washington National in Virginia

9. Denver International in Colorado

10. Dallas/Fort Worth International in Texas

11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County in Michigan

12. Newark Liberty International in New Jersey

13. Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International in Florida

14. Honolulu International in Hawaii

15. Houston Hobby in Texas

16. Washington Dulles International in Virginia

17. George Bush Houston Intercontinental in Texas

18. Indianapolis International in Indiana

19. John F. Kennedy International in New York

20. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas

21. Los Angeles International in California

22. LaGuardia Airport in New York

23. Orlando International in Florida

24. Chicago Midway International in Illinois

25. Memphis International in Tennessee

26. Miami International in Florida

27. Minneapolis/St Paul International in Minnesota

28. Oakland International in California

29. Ontario International in California

30. Chicago O`Hare International in Illinois

31. Portland International in Oregon

32. Philadelphia International in Pennsylvania

33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International in Arizona

34. San Diego International in California

35. Louisville International in Kentucky

36. Seattle/Tacoma International in Washington

37. San Francisco International in California

38. Salt Lake City International in Utah

39. Teterboro in New Jersey

40. Tampa International in Florida