Hundreds of US flights cut as govt shutdown drags on

Cancellations amid ATC staff crunch; international flights unaffected

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HUNDREDS of flights were canceled across the United States on Friday after the Trump administration ordered reductions to ease strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay amid congressional paralysis on funding the US budget.

Forty airports were due to slow down, including the giant hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles. The Federal Aviation Administration said the cutbacks are necessary to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who've been working without pay for more than a month.

Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.

International flights won't be impacted, transportation secretary Sean Duffy said.