Traveling to a medical conference? Check your flight

As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is slashing 10% of flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, forcing airlines to cancel thousands of routes and travelers to brace for widespread disruptions.

The cuts, which begin Friday, are meant to ease the strain on unpaid air traffic controllers now working six-day weeks.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that the move is meant to prevent a potential safety crisis. But the decision arrives as millions prepare to travel for business or the holidays, putting an uncomfortable spotlight on the political standoff grinding air travel to a near stall.

Major airports affected

The reductions will hit major travel hubs, including Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York City and Washington, D.C., according to a preliminary list shared by federal officials and confirmed by several outlets, including The Washington Post and CBS News. In total, 40 high-traffic airports will see service cutbacks.

United Airlines said in an internal memo that long-haul international and hub-to-hub flights will remain unaffected, while domestic and regional routes will bear most of the reductions. American, Delta and Southwest Airlines said they are awaiting final guidance from the FAA but are preparing to contact affected customers and offer rebooking or refunds — including for basic economy tickets.

For physicians traveling to upcoming medical conferences — including the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Meeting from Nov. 6-10 in Orlando, the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions from Nov. 7-10 in New Orleans, and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting from Nov. 30-Dec. 4 in Chicago — the timing couldn’t be worse.

Politics and operational strain

The FAA move follows weeks of warnings from Duffy that a prolonged shutdown could lead to “mass chaos” in the air travel system.

Roughly 14,000 certified air traffic controllers are required to work without pay, many already logging overtime to cover 3,000 vacant positions. Duffy said the flight reductions are a proactive safety measure, not a political maneuver.

“We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday. “The system is extremely safe today and will be extremely safe tomorrow. If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional measures.”

Still, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle took the opportunity to blame political opponents.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, said “Democrats are flirting with disaster,” noting that millions of Americans are dealing with travel disruptions because of what he called “the Schumer Shutdown.”

On the other side, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-California) called the move “spiteful and unnecessary,” and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-New York) called President Trump “a monster whose modus operandi is not negotiation but extortion,” as reported by The Washington Post.

In a statement, Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Washington) called the FAA’s decision “dramatic and unprecedented,” saying the move “demands more transparency.” Larsen is ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Industry fallout

Analysts estimate that the cuts could cancel as many as 4,000 flights per day.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) said the situation threatens not just travel but critical deliveries of medicine and equipment.

“We know what happens when the planes stop and the impact of the shutdown is felt by all,” said union president Sara Nelson. “People won’t get medicine … People won’t get to medical treatment or be able to rush to the side of a loved one in pain or dying. The economy stops. The country stops.”

What travelers can do

Major airlines have already begun rolling out flexible rebooking and refund policies to mitigate disruptions, according to Axios reporting. Delta, United, American and Southwest say customers can cancel, change or refund their flights without penalty — including basic economy and nonrefundable fares — during the impacted period. Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle went a step further, advising travelers flying within the next 10 days to secure backup tickets on other carriers to avoid being stranded.

United Airlines said it will provide several days’ advance notice of cancellations and is focusing reductions on regional and domestic mainline flights that don’t operate between hubs.

Delta confirmed it expects to operate the vast majority of its flights, including all long-haul international routes, while keeping safety its top priority.

American Airlines said it’s still awaiting detailed guidance from the FAA but will notify and rebook impacted travelers directly.

Southwest Airlines plans to automatically rebook passengers where possible and allow penalty-free changes or refunds.

The shutdown has already become the longest in U.S. history. Now, with 40 airports under restriction and tens of thousands of federal employees unpaid, its ripple effects are moving from Washington to every gate and terminal in the country.