Washington: The US government announced the cancellation of thousands of flights, starting tomorrow, Friday, in an attempt to alleviate pressure on air traffic control, which is suffering from a severe staff shortage due to the ongoing government shutdown.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, in a press conference, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that the government will reduce the number of flights by 10% at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, noting a shortage of approximately 2,000 air traffic controllers.

The US government shutdown began last October due to Congress’s failure to pass the budget for the new fiscal year, which begins in October of each year.