November 5, 2025
Skies in crisis, comments in flames
FAA to cut flights by 10% at 40 major airports due to government shutdown
Safety first, seats gone: 10% cuts ignite train memes and partisan meltdowns
TLDR: FAA will cut flights by 10% at 40 major airports amid a record shutdown, with officials warning safety and staffing issues. Commenters split between rail-switch flexing and political blame, arguing about “blue city” targeting and why shutdowns exist—just as holiday travel chaos looms.
The government shutdown just hit the runway: the FAA (the agency that guides planes) will slice flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports—about 3,500 to 4,000 flights a day. Cue the comment-section turbulence. Some are simply stunned: “Wild times… what’s going on?” Others are bragging about their escape routes. “Kind of glad I picked Amtrak for Thanksgiving,” one user flexed, as train memes steamrolled the thread.
Then came the political fireworks. “No doubt flights between blue cities,” claimed a commenter, accusing partisan targeting even though the FAA hasn’t named the airports. That sparked a brawl with safety-first folks quoting FAA boss Bryan Bedford’s line about protecting the “safest airline system,” and linking to earlier warnings on HN.
The existential frustration hit hard too: “Why is a shutdown even possible?” asked another, igniting Civics 101 debates about funding rules and stopgap bills. Meanwhile, practical panic set in—book trains, drive early, avoid Friday, and pray. Dark humor landed: “Airspace closed, comments open,” and “Thanksgiving speedrun by rail.”
Behind the drama: air traffic controllers and TSA (airport security) are working without pay, staffing is thin, and officials warn more cuts—or even a full shutdown—could follow. The controllers’ union says recovery could take weeks. The mood? Peak turbulence—and the internet’s already boarding.
Key Points
- •The U.S. Transportation Department will cut flight capacity by 10% at 40 major airports starting Friday morning.
- •The reduction is expected to affect approximately 3,500 to 4,000 flights per day, with specific airports not yet identified.
- •FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford warned further measures may follow and cited safety pressures as the rationale.
- •The government shutdown has reached 36 days, leading to missed paychecks for air traffic controllers and TSA screeners.
- •The FAA reported staffing shortages causing flight disruptions since Oct. 1, and the reduction has no set end date.