USA without a budget: Shutdown in the USA: Air traffic to be reduced

Due to air traffic control bottlenecks, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to reduce air traffic by ten percent at 40 locations starting Friday. Thousands of flights could be affected. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the FAA did not specify which airports and airlines would be impacted in their announcement. They referred to locations with high traffic volumes.

The reason for this is the loss of income for air traffic controllers as a result of the ongoing government shutdown. The US Congress has not passed a budget , so there is currently a so-called shutdown.

The exact impact on travelers is still unclear. US media reported that thousands of flights could potentially be affected. According to the FAA, there are an average of approximately 44,000 flights per day in US airspace.

The so-called shutdown has lasted for 36 days – longer than ever before in US history. Republicans and Democrats cannot agree on a budget. According to reports, this means the second consecutive pay cut for air traffic controllers. Transportation Secretary Duffy stated that air traffic controllers are now taking on second jobs due to the financial pressure. He appealed to them to come to work despite the shutdowns.