Airforwarders Association questions FAA plans for flight capacity reduction

The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has warned that the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) announcement of a ten percent reduction in flight capacity across 40 major U.S. airports will deepen the disruption already being felt across the aviation sector as the federal government shutdown enters its 37th day.

The FAA has not yet released the list of airports or detailed how the reductions will be applied, leaving the air cargo industry without the means to mitigate its impact.

“Forwarders and their customers need answers,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director, Airforwarders Association.

“We need to know which airports are affected, how the reductions will be implemented, and what this will mean for the cargo operations that keep our economy moving.”

Fried warned that with essential federal employees, including air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, already missing paychecks, staff shortages will continue to mount.

“Air cargo depends on every part of the aviation ecosystem working in sync,” Fried added.

“When capacity is cut and federal employees are stretched thin, the supply chain slows, and the longer this shutdown continues, the worse it will get.”

AfA again urged Congress and the President to end the shutdown immediately, pay essential federal workers, and provide clarity on the scope and implications of the FAA’s planned flight reductions.