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Government officials have sought to reduce flight capacity at airports to ease strains on air-traffic controllers

The FAA is slated to restrict private flights at 12 major airports starting Monday to ease air-traffic controller workload during the government shutdown.

The National Business Aviation Association stated that the FAA’s order effectively halts business aviation operations at these airports.

The FAA previously mandated a 4% traffic reduction at 40 major airports, increasing to 10% by Friday, November 14.

The Federal Aviation Administration is slated to limit business jets and other private flights to some of the country’s largest airports to ease strains on air-traffic personnel during the government shutdown.

The restrictions are due to begin Monday and will affect private jet flights at a dozen airports, including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Chicago’s O’Hare, according to the National Business Aviation Association trade group.

The FAA’s plan effectively halts business aviation operations at those airports, the trade group said.

“Safety is the cornerstone of business aviation, and NBAA is fully committed to ensuring the safety of the NAS,” Ed Bolen, the trade group’s chief executive, said in a statement Sunday. He added that the group will ensure that business aviation operators understand the restrictions and their implications.

The FAA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. transportation officials have said that efforts to curb air traffic are designed to alleviate workload on controllers who are increasingly stressed and fatigued after going weeks without pay. Controllers are calling in sick while working second jobs, prompting sharp reductions in air travel with fewer FAA employees to oversee air traffic.

The FAA on Friday required 40 major airports to reduce traffic by 4%. Airlines canceled over 3,600 U.S. flights between Friday and Sunday, according to data from FlightAware.

The FAA’s initial order called for reductions to increase to 6% of capacity by Tuesday, 8% by Thursday, Nov. 13, and 10% by Friday, Nov. 14.

In addition to the cancellations, staffing strains at airports are resulting in sizable delays for travelers. About 50% of departing flights at Chicago’s O’Hare were delayed Sunday, and more than half of scheduled departures at airports in Detroit, Orlando and New York City were delayed.

Some politicians, including Sen. Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.), had publicly called on the FAA to reduce private jet travel.

The National Business Aviation Association said the affected airports are: