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US airlines scrambled on Thursday to adjust schedules and respond to anxious travelers after the Trump administration ordered nationwide flight reductions due to a shortage of air traffic controllers during the longest government shutdown in history.

The cuts, set to begin Friday, are expected to cancel up to 1,800 flights daily and reduce 268,000 airline seats across the country, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

International flights are not affected. Delta, United, American, Southwest, Alaska, and Frontier have all announced varying reductions and offered greater flexibility for affected passengers.

Delta will cancel roughly 170 domestic flights on Friday, while United plans to cut 4% of its flights from Friday through Sunday, totaling fewer than 200 cancellations per day.

American Airlines will reduce schedules by 4% across 40 airports, canceling about 220 flights daily, and Southwest will cancel roughly 120 flights on Friday, Reuters reported.

Alaska Airlines and Frontier are canceling fewer flights, prioritizing high-frequency routes and urging travelers on critical trips to book backups.

"We're operating the vast majority of our schedule and intend to keep access to all of the markets we serve, though frequency may be affected," Delta said in a statement.

US Flight Cuts to Reach 10% by November 14

The phased reductions, mandated by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, will start at 4% on Friday and rise to 10% by November 14 at 40 major US airports, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Duffy cited safety concerns, as the shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners to work without pay, with absenteeism climbing to 30% or more at some airports.

According to CNA, the FAA was already short about 3,500 controllers before the shutdown.

Passengers are feeling the impact. Grace Logeman, 40, drove two hours to Newark, New Jersey, for a Frontier flight to Atlanta that was delayed three hours, causing her to miss a connecting flight to the Dominican Republic.

"I'm devastated," she said. "As far as the ongoing shutdown... it's hurting me. I'm the one sitting here now."

Despite these disruptions, analysts say the impact on airline earnings may be modest, as the cuts come during a period of lower travel demand.

Airlines are rebooking passengers on fewer flights and using larger planes to accommodate travelers.

Savanthi Syth, an analyst at Raymond James, noted, "During the current low season, airlines tend to have lighter load factors, so the ability to accommodate passengers is higher."

Shares of major carriers, including Delta and United, closed down between 1% and 2% Thursday as the market digested the news.

Travel apps such as Hopper reported a nearly 60% overnight spike in searches for disruption assistance after the announcement.

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Trump Administration