Flight cuts from government shutdown strain a supply chain that's already stretched thin

Source: AP

Updated 11:12 AM EST, November 9, 2025


NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration’s announcement of a 10% reduction in flight capacity across 40 major U.S. airports could put a strain on air cargo as the peak holiday season approaches.

Several airports with major package distribution centers are on the list of airports that will reduce capacity — FedEx has hubs at the airports in Indianapolis and Memphis, Tennessee. UPS’ biggest hub, Worldport, is in Louisville, Kentucky, the site of this week’s deadly cargo plane crash.

Meanwhile, UPS and FedEx said late Friday they’re grounding their fleets of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes “out of an abundance of caution” following the Tuesday crash, which killed 14 people, including the three pilots on the MD-11 headed for Honolulu.

MD-11 aircrafts make up about 9% of of the UPS fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet, the companies said. Logistics companies say consumers shouldn’t expect delays on their packages due to the reduction in flights — for now. But they put a strain on the supply chain ahead of the all-important holiday shopping season.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-airlines-shipping-cfeecb272743298e2e522eb351a28e31