US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday he would order a 10 percent cut in flights at 40 major airports, citing serious safety concerns as the US government shutdown intensifies. Amid this, a video has gone viral on TikTok. Posted late Thursday, it shows a Delta flight attendant stepping up to the intercom and telling passengers what they might expect in the coming days.

The clip surfaced at a time when travellers are already stressed. TSA agents aren’t being paid, lines at security are growing, and air traffic controllers are working without pay.

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Delta flight attendant’s mid-flight announcement sparks anger 

In the TikTok clip, the Delta employee tells passengers that domestic flights will be the first to disappear. Next, Delta Connection flights (which are operated by smaller partner airlines) are likely to be affected. After that, any flights going in and out of non-hub, regional airports may also be cancelled.

“Right now, our approach is day by day. The FAA is asking every airline for a 10% reduction in flights to the top 40 markets in the US For Delta, that’s roughly 540 flights a day.”

He added, “It’s entirely up to the FAA how many flights they tell us to cancel. International flights will leave on time – those are the priority. Anything else, especially Delta Connection flights… all fair game to be cancelled. We’re just rolling with what the government tells us we can and can’t do until Congress comes back to Washington and votes to reopen and fund the government.”

Baffled, one X user wrote, “So if Congress doesn’t vote – does America’s air travel just stop?” Another wrote, “I absolutely do not understand why international flights would be a priority over domestic ones.” One more added, “How come they have money to fund ICE during shutdown?” A third chimed in, “Who’s really got who by the throat in this clown show? Either way, it’s the everyday folks and the whole economy getting hammered and paying the price for the ringmasters’ mess.”

Airlines have been cutting their schedules for days. Data shows about a 4 percent reduction already, and the FAA has been advising airlines that further cuts may arrive sooner than travellers realise. These reductions could reach 10 percent by November 14.

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US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the reductions could be rolled back if Democrats agreed to reopen the government. The shutdown, now the longest in US history, has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents to work without pay.

Staff shortages that started weeks ago have now become a national problem. Tens of thousands of flights have been delayed since the shutdown began because air traffic control centres don’t have enough people to manage the traffic. Airlines say more than 3.2 million passengers have already been affected.

Duffy said the government had to make “hard decisions” to keep the sky safe. Aviation sources told Reuters that the FAA will begin cutting capacity gradually: 4 percent first, then 5 percent on Saturday, 6 percent Sunday, and eventually 10 percent next week. International flights will be protected from these cuts for now.

The final list of affected airports isn’t out yet, but, according to Reuters,  the cuts will hit the 30-40 busiest airports, including New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas. 

What this means for passengers

If your trip involves a regional airport or a small domestic route, your chances of getting cancelled are much higher. Flights between major hubs like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Dallas are safer for now. In the TikTok video, the Delta flight attendant explains that Delta is currently deciding its cancellations one day at a time. There is no long-term plan because the shutdown itself has no clear end date.

This means most passengers will likely get only a 24-hour notice if their flight is cancelled. According to the FAA, if your flight does get cancelled because of the shutdown, the Airlines must offer full refunds. Passengers must be given the option to rebook.

How Airlines are responding

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told staff that routes between major hubs and long international flights will stay untouched. Instead, United will scale back smaller regional flights, according to ABC News. He also promised that anyone who doesn’t want to travel during this period can get a refund, even if their flight is not affected. American Airlines shared a similar message, saying most of its customers will see minimal disruption.

Southwest says it is still studying the impact but is requesting lawmakers to end the shutdown as soon as possible. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing 55,000 crew members across 20 airlines, called the shutdown a “cruel attack on all Americans.”

The government closure, which began on October 1, has left roughly 750,000 federal workers without pay, closed key services, and put low-income families at risk of losing food assistance programs. 

Airlines say bookings haven’t collapsed yet, but they fear that if the shutdown continues, travellers may start avoiding air travel altogether. More than 2,100 flights were delayed just on Wednesday and over 5000 on Friday.

FAA officials say 20 to 40 percent of controllers at major airports are failing to show up for work because they aren’t being paid.