Widespread paralysis affects US air traffic at 40 airports

WASHIGNTON, Nov. 07 (YPA) – Travelers in the United States faced increasing uncertainty on Friday as hundreds of flights were canceled at dozens of major airports by order of the U.S. administration, as the longest government shutdown in the country’s history continued.

Authorities confirmed that reducing flights was necessary to address safety concerns stemming from staff shortages caused by the six-week-long federal shutdown.

The Trump administration ordered airlines to reduce their flights at 40 airports, including several major hubs, starting on Friday. The reductions will begin at 4 percent and increase to 10 percent next week.

The flight reductions affected some of the nation’s busiest airports, including Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles.

Responding to criticism that the move was intended to increase pressure on Democrats to end the government shutdown, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “This isn’t about politics. It’s about assessing the situation and mitigating the growing risks.”

The government shutdown, which began on October 1, has left tens of thousands of air traffic controllers, airport security personnel, and others without pay.

More than 800 flights scheduled for Friday were canceled, according to FlightAware.

AA