BREAKING: 800 flights delayed, canceled as FAA set to slash traffic at 40 airports by 10%—including DC, NYC, LA due to prolonged gov shutdown

Across airports on Thursday morning, there were 269 canceled flights and 576 delays as of 7:30 am EST as the FAA is preparing to reduce more flights at 40 airports.

The FAA stated earlier this week that flights will be reduced across 40 "high-volume" airports as staffing shortages and the government shutdown have strained the abilities of air traffic controllers. "We have decided that a 10 percent reduction in scheduled capacity will be appropriate to continue to take the pressure off our controllers," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said.

“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford added during a news conference on Wednesday. The effects of the reduction in flights will go into effect on Friday. A list of the airports was obtained by ABC 7, which reported that LAX, Ontario, Dulles, Reagan, and many other major airports.

The list also includes Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport, all three New York City-area airports, Chicago O'Hare, and many other airports. According to the outlet, the decision to decrease flight capacity could ground as many as 4,500 flights a day, which translates to hundreds of thousands of passengers missing their flights. The flights impacted will be between the hours of 6 am and 10 pm. International flights, however, are exempt from the cuts.

"Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible. Reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations. This is not based on light airline travel locations. This is about where the pressure is and how to really deviate the pressure," Bedford said.

Air traffic controllers have now gone six weeks without pay, and there were already staffing shortages prior to the shutdown.