FAA flight cuts will limit bellyhold capacity for air cargo

The upcoming 10% reduction in flight capacity at forty major U.S. airports will likely hamper cargo operations, although industry leaders need more information on the changes to determine the extent of the disruption. As most U.S. domestic air cargo moves in the bellyhold of passenger aircraft and not in freighters, fewer passenger flights will tighten air cargo capacity, said Mike Short, president of global forwarding at freight forwarder C.H. Robinson, told Cargo Facts . [caption id="attachment_57292828" align="aligncenter" width="732"] U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, left, and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announce the capacity cuts in a Nov. 5 news conference. (Courtesy/DOT)[/caption] “The domestic air market could see temporary constraints and longer transit times,” Short said. “Truckload and expedited ground networks can absorb some displaced volume, but not without challenges given that short-term surges drive spot rate volatility and equipment repositioning.” But Short said global airfreight will likely see only minor capacity shortages. “International operations represent a much larger share of air cargo movement and, for now, international flights remain fully exempt,” he said . C.H. Robinson generates annual revenue of about $17.6 billion and employs more than 16,000. Capacity cuts begin Nov. 7 In response to the air traffic controller shortage , U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced Nov. 5 that, beginning Nov. 7, flights will be reduced at busy airports. “This is data-based,” Duffy said in a news conference. “This is not based on what airline has more flights out of a location. This is about: Where is the pressure? And how do we alleviate the pressure?” The controller shortage has been exacerbated by the government shutdown , which began Oct. 1 and prevents controllers from receiving their paychecks. The FAA has not clarified the terms of the reduction, but Bedford said in the news conference that he and Duffy had plans later that evening to meet with airlines. When asked for additional information, the FAA told Cargo Facts that it is not responding to certain media requests due to the lapse in funding resulting from the shutdown. Other news outlets have reported that unnamed sources close to the matter have said that the reductions will be phased in, reaching the full 10% next week; that affected flights are scheduled between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.; and that international flights are exempt from the cuts. Limited information Industry professionals are finding it difficult to gauge the severity of the capacity cuts. “The FAA has not yet released the list of airports or detailed how the reductions will be applied, leaving the air cargo industry without the means to mitigate its impact,” Brandon Fried , executive director of the Airforwarders Association, said in a statement. “Forwarders and their customers need answers.” “We need to know which airports are affected, how the reductions will be implemented and what this will mean for the cargo operations that keep our economy moving.” — Brandon Fried, executive director of the Airforwarders Association Despite the potential harm lower capacity may have on air cargo, the DOT must prioritize safety above all else, Duffy said. “Am I concerned about cargo? Yes. Am I concerned about disruption in the airspace on Friday? Yes. But, again, we want to make sure we are implementing the right measures to make sure we have the best outcomes.” — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy Affected airports The FAA has not formally announced which airports will face capacity cuts, but a list was leaked identifying the airports. Following is the leaked list in a sortable chart with cargo throughput from June 2024 through May 2025, according to data provided by Cargo Facts Consulting : window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}); Airlines Delta Air Lines, which moves cargo in the bellies of its passenger aircraft, expects most of its flights to be unaffected, including all long-haul international service, the carrier said in a statement today. United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said in a statement today that the carrier’s long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub flights will not be affected. “Instead, we will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs,” the carrier said. Cargo Facts LATAM 2026, the essential event for stakeholders in Latin America, will take place Feb. 10-12 at the Marquis Reforma in Mexico City. Learn more and register by Dec. 26 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.

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