The FAA is set to start cutting flights to contend with delays and staffing shortages

The Federal Aviation Administration will begin cutting the number of flights in the "high traffic" parts of the country as the government shutdown grinds on and local airports have reported staffing shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday.“There is going to be a 10% reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations,” Duffy said.

The Federal Aviation Administration will begin cutting the number of flights in the "high traffic" parts of the country as the government shutdown grinds on and local airports have reported staffing shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday.

“There is going to be a 10% reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations,” Duffy said. “This is about where’s the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure.”

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the reduction in capacity, spurred by “fatigue” plaguing air traffic controllers, would start Friday.

The list of markets impacted will be released Thursday, he said.

Airlines were told by Department of Transportation officials Wednesday night that flight cuts would start at 4% Friday, 5% Saturday and ramp up to 10% next week, two airline sources told NBC News, confirming a report from Reuters.