CHICAGO (WLS) — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently reducing the number of flights at multiple airports, including Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway.

Airlines have been directed to decrease their flight operations by four percent by 5 a.m. on Friday due to the ongoing government shutdown.

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This reduction occurs as approximately 80 flights have already been canceled at O’Hare, and nearly 20 flights face cancellations at Midway.

The FAA’s mandate affects airlines at 40 major airports nationwide, requiring the cutback of four percent of flights starting this Friday.

By next Friday, November 14, airlines are expected to slash their operations by 10 percent or incur fines of $75,000 for each flight that exceeds the set limit.

According to the FAA, these significant cutbacks are essential to ensure safety, given the shortage of air-traffic controllers and TSA agents due to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

These critical employees are working without pay and now many are increasingly calling in sick or picking up side jobs to pay the bills.

“This is going to be huge,” Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy, said. “So on a given day in the US, there might be 100 to 200 flights canceled. This is going to be 4000 and mind you that it’s not just canceled flights. Because of these canceled flights, there’s going to be thousands more delays as well.
While neither Chicago airport is fully staffed with air traffic controllers, both are close to their target.

The ABC7 data team found both O’Hare and Midway are both 85 percent staffed, with 58 air traffic controllers at O’Hare and 19 at Midway.

According to Flight Aware, more than 800 flights have already been canceled out of the country.

The Chicago Department of Aviation said in a statement, “The CDA is coordinating with federal and airline partners regarding the Federal Aviation Administration directive affecting airline operations beginning Friday, Nov. 7. All travelers with flights scheduled on or after Friday, Nov. 7, should monitor their flight status through their air carrier’s mobile app or website before leaving for the airport. These tools provide the most current information on schedule changes, delays, and any necessary rebooking options.”

Late Thursday, United Airlines released a full list of flight cancelations through Sunday.