International News
Published on Thursday, November 6, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce air traffic by 10% at many of the nation’s busiest airports, the agency said Wednesday, in an effort to maintain safety during the ongoing government shutdown.

Despite the impending cancellation of thousands of flights in the United States, Costa Rica’s government has not addressed how the move could affect airport operations or tourism. The U.S. remains Costa Rica’s largest source of visitors, accounting for more than 1.2 million arrivals as of September 2025.

The reductions will begin Friday and affect 40 “high-volume markets,” according to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. He said the agency wants to ease pressure on the system before safety is compromised.

“We just can’t ignore it,” Bedford said. “When the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating.”

The FAA has already been delaying flights at several airports because of widespread staffing shortages among air traffic controllers.

The government shutdown, now in its sixth week, has taken a growing toll on those controllers, who are required to work without pay until the shutdown ends. According to a report by the U.S. National Public Radio (NPR), some controllers have taken on second jobs, and many are calling in sick. Even before the shutdown, the system was short more than 3,000 certified controllers.

 

Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they plan to meet with airline leaders to determine how to implement the reductions fairly before announcing details.


They did not immediately specify which airports would be affected. However, NPR reported that the FAA has been facing persistent staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities near some of the nation’s busiest airports, including major hubs in Dallas, Houston, Newark, New Jersey, and Phoenix.


The new reductions could cause additional disruptions, potentially forcing airlines to cancel or reschedule thousands of flights daily.


Duffy acknowledged that the move will likely spark widespread frustration but said the decision was necessary. “Our heart goes out to those who will have flights disrupted,” he said. “This is what we feel we have to do to make sure we maintain that safety profile.”


Bedford said he could not recall a similar situation during his 35 years in aviation.    “Then again, we’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns,” he said. “We look forward to a time when we can get back to business as usual.”


The U.S. government entered its sixth week of a partial shutdown after lawmakers failed to reach a budget agreement. The stalemate has left hundreds of thousands of federal employees furloughed or working without pay, affecting a wide range of public services, from airport operations to national parks,  and prompting growing concern about the long-term economic impact if the shutdown continues.

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