More than 5,000 US flights were cancelled or delayed as new federal mandates forced airlines to reduce air traffic amid the ongoing government shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a 4 percent cut in flights at 40 major airports including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington DC, to ease pressure on unpaid air traffic controllers and essential staff.
Local media reported that the reduction could rise to 10 percent next week and potentially 20 percent if the shutdown continues. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said international flights remain unaffected. The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has also disrupted food aid programs and other federal services nationwide.
