U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Friday he could force airlines to cut up to 20% of flights if the government shutdown did not end, as U.S. airlines on Friday scrambled to make unprecedented government-imposed reductions.
The Federal Aviation Administration instructed airlines to cut 4% of flights on Friday at 40 major airports because of the government shutdown. The cuts will rise to 10% by Nov. 14.
During the record 38-day government shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been forced to work without pay, leading to increased absenteeism. Many air traffic controllers were notified on Thursday that they would receive no pay for a second pay period next week.
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