The federal government shutdown is now forcing the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce air traffic nationwide—with Texas among the hardest hit.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced this week that beginning Friday morning, the FAA will cut flights by 10 percent at 40 of the nation’s top airports due to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, many of whom are working without pay because of the Democrat-led shutdown.
Of those 40 airports, four are in Texas:
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Houston Hobby Airport (HOU)
While the reductions will be concentrated at major hubs, officials warned that travelers at other airports could still face delays or cancellations as disruptions ripple across the national flight network.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for causing the shutdown, accusing them of holding the country hostage to gain political leverage rather than voting for a funding bill to keep the government open.
In a statement, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, said:
“Due to the ongoing government shutdown and nationwide air traffic control staffing shortages, the FAA has directed airlines to reduce flight schedules to continue to maintain safe airspace operations beginning Friday, Nov. 7. Flights on Thursday, Nov. 6, will operate as planned.
We expect the vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected, and long-haul international travel will remain as scheduled. As schedule changes are made, we’ll proactively reach out to customers who are impacted. … We continue to urge leaders in Washington, D.C., to reach an immediate resolution to end the shutdown.”
Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, also issued a statement saying it is “evaluating how the planned FAA flight reductions will affect our schedule.”
“Nothing is more important to Southwest® than the safety of our customers and employees,” the airline said. “We know that these FAA-imposed cancellations can impact an important moment in your life. We appreciate your understanding.”
The FAA’s decision marks one of the most visible ripple effects yet from the shutdown, which has already produced hours-long TSA lines and ground delays across Texas airports earlier this week.
