U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy & FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford Freeze Flight Reduction Plan at 6% in Response to Strong Air Traffic Controller Staffing Metrics

Low staffing triggers are a leading indicator for key safety trends

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford today announced a new emergency order freezing flight reductions at the current six percent level following a recommendation from the agency’s safety team. The 6% hold will remain in place as the FAA continues to assess whether the system can gradually return to normal operations.

There has been a rapid decline in controller callouts, with only eleven staffing triggers on Tuesday, November 11 and four staffing triggers today from a high of 81 on November 8. Such strong staffing levels suggest a further ramp up in-flight reductions are not necessary to keep the traveling public safe. As the federal government reopens and controllers receive their backpay, the FAA will continue to monitor staffing levels and review key trend lines.

“President Trump’s message has been heard loud and clear: controllers will be made whole quickly. The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first. If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations.”

“Our top priority at the FAA is, and always will be, safety,” said Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford. “The data shows that controller staffing is improving rapidly, which allows us to hold flight reductions at six percent while maintaining the highest levels of safety in our airspace. We’ll continue to monitor system performance hour by hour, and we won’t hesitate to make further adjustments if needed."

Since the beginning of the shutdown, controllers have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing. This has resulted in increased reports of strain on the system from both pilots and air traffic controllers.

This new emergency order will replace the existing order, which mandated increases in flight reductions to eight and then ten percent.

The new emergency order continues restrictions for:  

• Some general aviation operations at 12 airports. 
• Some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) at facilities with staffing triggers.  
• Commercial space launches and reentries permitted only between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. local time. 
• Parachute operations and photo missions near facilities with a staffing trigger.   

The 40 affected high-impact airport list remains the same. This includes:  

ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport  
ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 
BOS – Boston Logan International Airport  
BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport  
CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport  
CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport  
DAL – Dallas Love Field  
DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport  
DEN – Denver International Airport  
DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport  
DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport  
EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport  
FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport  
HNL – Honolulu International Airport  
HOU – William P. Hobby Airport  
IAD – Washington Dulles International Airport  
IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport  
IND – Indianapolis International Airport  
JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International Airport  
LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International Airport  
LAX – Los Angeles International Airport  
LGA – New York LaGuardia Airport  
MCO – Orlando International Airport  
MDW – Chicago Midway International Airport  
MEM – Memphis International Airport  
MIA – Miami International Airport  
MSP – Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport  
OAK – Oakland International Airport  
ONT – Ontario International Airport  
ORD – Chicago O’Hare International Airport  
PDX – Portland International Airport  
PHL – Philadelphia International Airport  
PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport  
SAN – San Diego International Airport  
SDF – Louisville International Airport  
SEA – Seattle–Tacoma International Airport  
SFO – San Francisco International Airport  
SLC – Salt Lake City International Airport  
TEB – Teterboro Airport  
TPA – Tampa International Airport  
 

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