What Happened
Federal Shutdown Forces Capacity Cuts for Private Flights
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered restrictions on business aviation operations at 12 major US airports due to air traffic control staffing shortages during the federal government shutdown. The directive, effective on November 11, 2025, will bar most non-scheduled business and private flights at airports already facing capacity cuts for commercial carriers. The affected airports include Chicago O’Hare, Dallas Fort Worth, and New York John F. Kennedy, among others. According to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the restrictions will disproportionately impact the general aviation sector, which supports over one million US jobs and contributes roughly $340 billion to the economy each year. The restrictions were first reported by AeroTime.