Duffy from the transportation department says planes are “slowing down to a trickle”
U.S. air travel will slow “gradually” heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
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Many major airports closed to commercial aircraft this week amid continued aviation restrictions stemming from the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
The move follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s Nov. 6 order to reduce flights at 40 U.S. airports to “maintain the highest safety standards in the nation’s airspace system.”
These airports were ordered to reduce their operations by 4% on November 7th, with the reduction gradually increasing to 6% by November 11th, 8% by November 13th, and 10% by November 14th.
On November 9 alone, more than 10,000 flights were delayed and more than 3,200 were cancelled.
Restrictions on commercial flights that came into effect on November 10 will further increase the disruption. According to the National Institute for Policy Studies’ 2023 Environmental Impact Report, about one in every six FAA flights is a private jet.
The affected airports are:
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
“More than anything, this moment underscores the need to reopen government to serve all Americans,” Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association, said in a Nov. 9 news release about the restrictive measures.
The FAA did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment.
