FAA Staffing Cuts Rise To 10 Percent By Nov 14, Waivers Expand

Published on Nov 11, 2025, 9:30 am CST

5 min read

Key points

FAA's phased reductions move to 6 percent November 11, 8 percent November 13, and 10 percent November 14
ATCSCC operations plan continues nationwide use of ground delay and ground stop programs to manage staffing
Major carriers have published flexibility policies, including broader rebooking and some refund options

Impact

Expect Rolling Delays: Longer taxi, holds, and metering into New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Washington
Watch For Schedule Trims: Airlines are cutting flights proactively inside the FAA mandate windows
Use Waivers Early: Change and refund windows vary by carrier and date range, so move before flights tighten
Consider Alternate Airports: Shifts between co-terminal airports may help when risk bands are highest
Build Time Buffers: Connections through the highlighted facilities carry elevated misconnect risk this week

The Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, is escalating controller-driven flow controls this week under its emergency limits order. Airlines are moving from the initial 4 percent schedule pullback to 6 percent by Tuesday, November 11, 8 percent by Thursday, November 13, and 10 percent by Friday, November 14. The Air Traffic Control System Command Center, ATCSCC, continues to meter traffic with nationwide ground delay programs and selective ground stops, while major carriers publish broader change fee waivers and clarify refund rules. Travelers should plan for trims and longer arrival spacing into the busiest facilities, and use waiver windows before flights compress.

FAA emergency limits, what changed

An emergency order issued November 6 temporarily limits operations across about 40 high-volume markets to maintain safety while controller staffing remains constrained. The order phases up to a 10 percent reduction by November 14, applies primarily between 600 a.m. and 1000 p.m. local, and authorizes the Command Center to set additional tactics such as ground delay programs, airborne holds, and miles-in-trail to keep sectors stable. The agency says it will lift the limits once staffing stabilizes.

Latest developments

The current ATCSCC Operations Plan highlights continued staffing impacts and weather-assisted traffic management, with special attention on the Northeast and other saturated terminal areas. Expect metering and potentially reduced arrival rates where staffing and winds align. Airlines and airports are aligning schedules to the 6 percent, 8 percent, and 10 percent targets as the week progresses.

Where delays concentrate, facility view

The highest risk of longer holds and compressions sits at major terminal radar approach control, TRACON, facilities and their towers, where staffing gaps have outsized effects on arrival and departure rates. New York TRACON, N90, covers John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport. Chicago TRACON, C90, scopes Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport. Northern California TRACON, NCT, covers San Francisco International Airport and Oakland. Houston TRACON, I90, scopes George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport. Atlanta TRACON, A80, scopes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Potomac TRACON, PCT, scopes Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore, Maryland. These facilities appear repeatedly in FAA advisories and in carrier cut maps because a one-or-two-position shortfall quickly lowers arrival rate assumptions. Plan for ground delay programs, airborne holding in peak periods, and pushbacks metered by ramp control.

Airline flexibility, by policy window

Carriers are widening change options as reductions step up. American confirms a 6 percent reduction for Tuesday, November 11, following the earlier 4 percent phase, and is offering rebooking and select refunds tied to the FAA order. Delta has posted rolling exception policies and operational updates, with additional bulletins for agencies, and notes that cancellations are being targeted to comply with the FAA directive. United has a dedicated page for FAA-mandated schedule reductions and is surfacing travel alerts with flexibility rules. JetBlue states it has completed the first reduction phase and continues to update travel alerts for subsequent dates. Local and national outlets summarize that many waivers cover travel from November 6 through mid-November, with some airlines allowing refunds even for basic economy during the mandate window. Always verify the exact date range and whether fare differences apply.

Airport-pair delay risk bands, how to read them

For the remainder of the week, assume a High risk band on flows touching the New York, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, and Washington complexes in peak bank hours, especially when paired together, for example New York to Chicago, New York to Washington, Chicago to Atlanta, and West Coast to New York. Assume a Medium risk band on single-hub pairings that include one constrained complex and one secondary station, for example Atlanta to Raleigh-Durham or Newark to Boston. Assume a Lower risk band on point-to-point routes that bypass the constrained complexes and operate outside the 600 a.m. to 1000 p.m. local mandate window, or on long-haul international arrivals that are not within the domestic cut scope. These bands reflect the FAA plan, airline cut distribution, and observed delay patterns since the order took effect.

How it works

The ATCSCC publishes an Operations Plan and advisories that set the day's national strategy. When staffing shortfalls limit sector capacity, traffic managers lower airport acceptance rates and apply tools like miles-in-trail, required departure times, reroutes, and ground delay programs to balance demand with available controller positions. The emergency order adds a top-down cap, which forces advance schedule trims so fewer flights compete for constrained arrival slots during the busiest local hours.

Final thoughts

FAA staffing limits are scheduled to reach 10 percent by Friday, November 14. If your itinerary crosses New York, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Atlanta, or Washington, act inside waiver windows, consider earlier departures, and allow generous connection buffers. Recheck flight status the evening before departure and again at three hours, one hour, and gate call.