U.S. logistics companies warned Thursday that the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to reduce flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports could significantly delay airfreight deliveries in the busiest part of the air-shipping season.
The Trump administration announced the reduction in daily flights in response to the ongoing government shutdown and staffing shortages affecting air traffic control operations and Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
The FAA's 10% cut amounts to thousands of flights each day. Much of the nation's airfreight moves on commercial passenger aircraft, as well as dedicated cargo carriers such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL.
Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association, expressed concern in a statement: "Air cargo depends on every part of the aviation ecosystem working in sync."
"When capacity is cut and federal employees are stretched thin, the supply chain slows, and the longer this shutdown continues, the worse it will get," he added.
Allied Pilots Association spokesman Dennis Tajer appeared on Newsmax earlier in the day and voiced support for Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as the agency prepares to reduce flights nationwide if the shutdown continues, adding that Duffy is "doing the right thing."
In response to widespread cancellations, several airlines are offering refunds or the ability to change flights without fees for passengers affected by airport restrictions.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announced on the company's website that customers will receive "several days' advance notice" regarding schedule changes.
He added that United's long-haul international and hub-to-hub flights would not be affected, noting that reductions would focus on "regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs."
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines released similar statements, pledging flexibility for affected travelers. On Thursday, almost 4,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. had been delayed, and 77 had been canceled, according to FlightAware.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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