The ongoing government shutdown in America is now having a direct impact on the country’s air services. As of Friday morning, more than 800 flights have been cancelled, which is four times more than on Thursday. Amid this crisis, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a 4% reduction in flight operations at 40 major airports in the country, including major hubs like New York, Los Angeles and San Diego.

This order of FAA has come into effect from Friday and if the shutdown prolongs, then this reduction may increase up to 10% by next week. According to CNN report, airlines have already canceled hundreds of flights to avoid possible chaos.

FAA and US government response

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday, “This step will temporarily reduce the number of flights, but we will work with the airlines to implement it in a controlled manner.” The FAA has warned that if the shutdown continues, up to 4,000 flights per day could be affected, as many air traffic control towers are facing staff shortages.

Where and when will flight cuts be implemented

Bloomberg’s report suggests that flights will be mainly affected between 6 am and 10 pm. In the initial phase, 4% flights will be reduced, which can be increased to 10% next week. However, international flights are currently exempted from this rule.

Which airlines are most affected?

According to analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu, America’s four big airlines – American Airlines, Delta, United and Southwest will be most affected in November and December. According to the FlightAware website, as of 4:30 am on Friday, 800 flights had been cancelled, whereas on Thursday this number was only 201. Airlines have said that full refund will be given to passengers whose flights have been cancelled.

What could happen next?

FAA officials say that if the government shutdown does not end soon, there will be increased pressure on air traffic management. Due to lack of staff, both security and timing can be affected. Experts believe that if the situation continues like this, travelers may face serious problems during the Thanksgiving travel season.

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The flight of Delta Airlines going from Los Angeles to Atlanta had to make an emergency landing on Friday (July 18, 2025) due to engine fire soon after flying on DL446. The incident occurred at Los Angeles International Airport (Lax). This flight was a 767–400 aircraft.

In the video revealed on social media, it was shown that during the flight, flames were coming out of its left engine. However, there was no harm to a passenger or crew member. Firefighters reached on time and controlled the fire. The engine failed as soon as the flight started. The pilot immediately announced the emergency and turned the aircraft back towards the airport. Air traffic control also helped immediately and emergency services were alerted.

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Boeing 787 Makes Emergency Landing in La – Engine on Fire #DreamLiner https://t.co/gqyo0dvjl3

– Brown  Boy (@brownboy5202) July 19, 2025

According to Flatradar 24, the aircraft first moved towards the Pacific Ocean, then returned to the airport, circling over Downey and Paramount. During this time, the pilot and the crew completed all the necessary investigations and prepared for safe landing. According to the passengers, the flight captain announced that the fire team is confirming the fire in the engine. The cause of the fire is not yet known. The US aviation agency (FAA) has started investigation.

The aircraft is about 25 years old and has two CF6 engines of General Electric Company. Delta Airlines reported that shortly after flying, there was a sign of problems in the left engine, due to which the flight had to return.

It is worth noting that earlier in April, there was a fire at Orlando Airport in another flight of Delta. The A330 aircraft was then preparing to fly to Atlanta, with 282 passengers and 12 crew members. No one was injured even in that accident.

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