The US transport secretary Sean Duffy has ordered a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major US airports this weekend, pinning the decision on air traffic control safety concerns amid the shutdown, Reuters reports.
The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has left some 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents working without pay.
Reuters added Duffy's plan gave airlines just 36 hours to make significant changes to their schedules.
The standoff is amplifying staffing shortages, causing widespread flight delays and longer security wait times.
