FAA slashing 10% of U.S. flights in 40 major cities as historic government shutdown drags on | 5 Nov 2025 | Flights will be slashed by 10% in 40 major cities across the US starting Friday morning as the federal government grapples with the ongoing historic shutdown — likely leaving millions of flyers in the lurch. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration boss Bryan Bedford did not yet reveal which airports across the country would be affected when they made their announcement Wednesday afternoon. “This is proactive,” Duffy explained during a press conference. The change will affect commercial and private travel — and even space flight — and could ground as many as 4,000 flights nationwide.