U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford have announced measures to ensure safety in the national airspace system. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will implement a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 high-traffic airports nationwide. This decision comes amid reports of increased strain on the system due to air traffic controllers working without pay since the beginning of a shutdown.
Duffy emphasized that safety is the department's top priority, stating, "This isn’t about politics – it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay." Bedford added, "We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely."
The reduction plan begins with a 4% decrease on November 7, escalating to 10% by November 14. The FAA will also limit certain operations such as visual flight rule approaches and commercial space launches during specific hours.
Airlines affected by these changes must provide full refunds for canceled flights but are not required to cover additional costs. International flights remain unaffected, with airlines having discretion over which domestic flights to cancel.
These actions follow a review of aviation safety data indicating increased stress levels within the system. The U.S. Department of Transportation has been active in other areas as well, including awarding $19.6 million in grants through its Small Shipyard Grant Program to enhance productivity and employment opportunities across various states (https://www.maritime.dot.gov/newsroom/maritime-administration-awards-nearly-20-million-funding-strengthen-us-shipyard-economic). Additionally, they have announced winners for their Inclusive Design Challenge aimed at improving mobility options for people with disabilities (https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/anniversary-ada-usdot-announces-winners-its-first-ever-inclusive-design-challenge).
For further details on this emergency order, visit HERE.
Information from this article can be found here.
