FAA, major airports and flight reductions
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The Federal Aviation Administration will reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports across the country, officials announced during a press conference on Wednesday. The decision could cut thousands of flights per day.
As many as 1,800 flights could be affected on Friday alone, according to Cirium, an aviation-data provider. The final figure will depend on which airports are targeted. The FAA estimates that it handles an average of more than 44,000 flights a day.
As the federal government shutdown carries through to another day, making it the longest in U.S. history, flight disruptions continue.
A ground stop at William P. Hobby Airport was expected to last until 6 p.m., while a ground delay at George Bush Intercontinental Airport was expected to last until 9:30 p.m., according to the FAA.