Thousands of flights to be cut across US amid government shutdown
America's busiest airports, including those in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, were set to face thousands of flight cuts starting on Friday due to the government shutdown, according to a list distributed to the airlines and obtained by The Associated Press.
The Federal Aviation Administration's order to reduce air traffic at 40 of the busiest airports by 10 per cent across the US includes the popular gateways of Hawaii and Dallas for Australians flying to North America.
With just hours to go, airlines were scrambling to figure out where to cut, and travellers were waiting nervously to see if their flights would take off as scheduled.
Travelers wait in long security lines at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, in Houston. (AP Photo Lekan Oyekanmi) (AP)
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