The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether major airlines followed emergency flight reductions during last month’s government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.
The FAA said in a Dec. 1 statement that it notified airlines this week that the review will focus on compliance with the mandate to reduce flights at the nation’s 40 busiest airports. Airlines operating more than 10 daily flights at these high-impact airports are included in the probe. Companies that violated the Nov. 12 order could face fines of up to $75,000 per flight that exceeded the limits.
Flight reductions initially began at 4% and later increased to 6% before being lowered to 3% after staffing improvements among air traffic controllers were noted following the end of the shutdown. The FAA had planned for reductions of up to 10%, but the government reopening prevented that from taking effect.
While the FAA did not specify which airlines received notices, carriers meeting the criteria likely include Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska Airlines. Airlines have 30 days to submit evidence or statements showing they complied with the order.
The cuts were intended to reduce pressure on air traffic controllers, many of whom were unpaid or unavailable during the 43-day shutdown. More than 10,000 flights were canceled between Nov. 7, when the restrictions began, and Nov. 16, shortly before the Thanksgiving travel surge.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian disclosed this week that the shutdown cost the airline roughly $200 million, the first U.S. airline to publicly quantify the financial impact.