Orlando International Airport, or MCO, is one of the 40 airports that’s being asked by the FAA to scale back its flights by 10% starting Nov. 7, 2025.
The reductions are across forty “high volume” airports across the nation, impacting thousands of flights. At MCO, that means fewer arrivals and departures.
The scale backs come after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that the public should expect “chaos” in the skies if the shutdown continues. Commercial passenger flights, cargo planes and private aircrafts could be affected.
The reduction is to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers face the effects of the shutdown. Since the shutdown began, federal employees deemed essential have been working without pay, including air traffic controllers and TSA agents.
The Federal Aviation Administration officially announced the reductions, stating that between 6 am and 10 pm, the forty airports have to reduce 10% of their daily scheduled domestic operations. The reductions will be in place until the FAA cancels its order.
In the emergency order, the administration said “the FAA’s initial review of data indicates the system is stressed. With continued delays and unpredictable staffing shortages, which are driving fatigue, risk is further increasing, and the FAA is concerned with the system’s ability to maintain the current volume of operations. Accordingly, the FAA has determined additional mitigation is necessary.”
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, or GOAA, said passengers should contact airlines directly for questions or updates. The organization said the order is to maintain the highest level of safety.
“To this point, Orlando International has been fortunate that federal airport employees have continued to come to work and there has been minimal impact to airport operations,” GOAA said. “We deeply appreciate our federal partners for their commitment. The reduction in flights is likely to impact passengers, unfortunately, and we ask that they check directly with their airlines regarding delays and cancellations. The airport will be fully staffed to assist as much as possible during this time.”
Also on the list in Florida is Tampa International and Miami International.
