A Gulfstream G-IV private jet flies through the clouds at sunset as it approaches Washington’s Reagan National Airport on June 12, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia.
J. David Ake | Getty Images
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday will “effectively ban business aviation operations” at 12 major U.S. airports and tighten restrictions on commercial airline operations as a shortage of air traffic controllers and a government shutdown disrupt travel, according to industry groups.
The Trump administration last week ordered U.S. commercial airlines to reduce their flight schedules to ease the burden on air traffic controllers who are working without regular pay due to the grounding. Government officials initially did not restrict the use of commercial flights to the same extent as civil aviation, but a shortage of air traffic controllers disrupted widespread travel.
The first 4% cut for commercial airlines took effect on Friday and is expected to increase to 10% of flights by Friday this week.
More than 4,500 commercial flights were canceled and more than 17,000 were delayed over the weekend as staffing shortages worsened across the country, according to FlightAware. Airline industry officials praised the Senate’s progress toward lifting the shutdown late Sunday, but a solution to the longest such impasse in history has yet to be finalized.
“Safety is the foundation of business aviation, and NBAA is committed to ensuring the safety of NAS,” Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association, said in a statement late Sunday. “One of the ways we do this is to ensure that business airlines understand these restrictions and their impact.”
According to NBAA, most business jet operators do not use the busiest commercial airports.
The FAA did not immediately comment.
According to NBAA, the airports included in the new restrictions are:
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)Denver International Airport (DEN)General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport (BOS)George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
