The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Wednesday that it will reduce air traffic by 10 percent across 40 major U.S. markets starting Friday morning to maintain safety amid the ongoing government shutdown .

The agency is facing growing staffing shortages as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay, with an increasing number calling out sick, resulting in widespread flight delays. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency “can’t ignore” the strain on the system and will act before safety is compromised.

“We’re not going to wait for a problem to act,” Bedford said.

Bedford and Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plan to meet with airline executives later Wednesday to discuss how to implement the reductions safely and minimize disruptions fo

See Full Page