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US airlines were informed this week that they were under investigation into whether they complied with an emergency order requiring flight reductions at 40 major airports during the record government shutdown. Federal Aviation Administration Said on Friday.
The FAA warned in letters sent Monday that airlines could face fines of up to $75,000 for each flight over the mandatory reductions, which fluctuate between 3%, 4% and 6%. Airlines have 30 days to provide documentation showing they have complied with the order, the agency said in a statement Friday.
The 43-day shutdown, which began October 1, led to long delays as unpaid air traffic controllers walked out, citing stress and the need to take on additional jobs. The FAA said requiring all commercial airlines to cut domestic flights was unprecedented, but necessary to ensure safe air travel until staffing of its control towers and facilities could be improved.
After the shutdown ended on November 12, airlines expected the FAA to lift or ease restrictions. With the order still in place on Nov. 14, which requires a 6% cut, only 2% of scheduled U.S. departures that day were canceled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
More than 10,000 flights were canceled between November 7, when the order took effect, and November 16, when the FAA announced it was lifting all flight restrictions. delta air lines It said Wednesday it lost $200 million, the first disclosure by a major airline about the financial impact of the shutdown.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has not shared specific safety data that he and the head of the FAA said prompted the cuts, but Duffy cited pilots’ concerns about planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and controllers’ reactions during the shutdown.
big hub in new york, chicago, los angeles and Atlanta were affected by the cancellation. The FAA originally aimed for a 10% reduction.