United Airlines Cuts Flights Amid FAA Shutdown Order

United Airlines will begin cutting parts of its domestic schedule starting Friday, November 7, following a directive from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). The move affects operations at 40 U.S. airports and comes in response to the ongoing government shutdown.

 

The FAA ordered all U.S. airlines to scale back schedules to relieve pressure on the strained aviation system, with safety cited as the top priority.

United CEO Scott Kirby informed employees that the cuts will focus on regional and point-to-point domestic flights that do not connect through United hubs. Long-haul international routes and hub-to-hub flights will remain unaffected to maintain network integrity and crew operations.

Despite the reductions, United and its regional partners will still operate around 4,000 flights per day.

Customers impacted by cancellations will be notified through the United app, website, and push alerts. All travelers scheduled to fly during this period — even those on non-refundable or basic economy tickets — are eligible for full refunds if they choose not to travel.

“Your professionalism and care will be more important than ever in the days ahead,” Kirby told employees, thanking them for their efforts during the shutdown.

United is making rolling updates to its schedule to give passengers advance notice and minimize disruption.