FAA investigates airlines for potential flight cut compliance violations during government shutdown
- - FAA investigates airlines for potential flight cut compliance violations during government shutdown
Brie StimsonDecember 6, 2025 at 3:31 AM
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The Federal Aviation Administration this week told airlines it will investigate whether they complied with orders from the Trump administration during the record-long government shutdown to cut flights.
The orders came in November after the shutdown had been going for a month and airports were facing shortages of air traffic control workers.
The emergency order affected 40 major airports in the U.S. and fluctuated between cuts of 3% to 6% for each airline before the shutdown ended on Nov. 12.
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The Federal Aviation Administration this week told airlines it will investigate whether they complied with orders from the Trump administration during the record-long government shutdown to cut flights.
In a letter sent Monday to U.S. airlines, the FAA warned that they could face $75,000 fines for each flight over the allotted limit during the shutdown.
Airlines have 30 days to prove they complied with the required cuts.
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Air traffic controllers, like most other government workers, weren’t paid during the 43-day shutdown, and many missed work, sparking safety concerns.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford held a press conference Nov. 5 to announce the need for cuts.
The FAA lifted the restrictions Nov. 16, four days after the shutdown ended.
Despite the shutdown still being in effect Nov. 14 — when 6% flight cuts were required — only 2% of flights were actually cut, according to Cirium, a flight analytics firm.
The emergency order affected 40 major airports in the U.S. and fluctuated between cuts of 3% to 6% for each airline before the shutdown ended Nov. 12.
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The cuts also had a major financial impact on airlines, with Delta reporting that it lost $200 million between Nov. 7 and Nov. 16 when the order was in effect.
More than 10,000 flights were canceled in the U.S. during the nine-day period.
The contributed to this report.
Original article source: FAA investigates airlines for potential flight cut compliance violations during government shutdown
Source: “AOL Breaking”
