Travel Industry Strains Under FAA Flight Cuts Due to Shutdown

People wait in the Terminal A lobby at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 6, 2025. Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesAirlines and the broader travel industry are feeling the financial and operational pressure of the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce flights at 40 major United States airports amid the ongoing government shutdown.On the morning of Nov. 7, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated cuts at major airports around the country. The reductions, which are aimed at easing the burden on unpaid air-traffic controllers, started at 4 percent of daily flights and are scheduled to rise to 10 percent by Nov. 14.