THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL REDUCE AIR TRAFFIC BY 10% ACROSS 40 MAJOR AIRPORTS TO MAINTAIN SAFETY DURING THE ONGOING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

THE RESTRICTIONS WILL GO INTO EFFECT FRIDAY MORNING AND STAND TO IMPACT THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTS NATIONWIDE.

THE FAA IS CONFRONTING STAFFING SHORTAGES AMONG AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING UNPAID SINCE THE SHUTDOWN BEGAN OCT. 1.

SOME HAVE BEEN CALLING OUT OF WORK, RESULTING IN DELAYS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SOUNDBITE (English) Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation:

"What we're finding is that our air traffic controllers because of the financial pressures at home are taking side jobs."

++DIP TO WHITE++

SOUNDBITE (English) Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation:

"We have asked them to show up to work, but I'm not naive to understand that they're trying to figure out how they meet their daily obligations."

MAJOR AIRLINES, AVIATION UNIONS AND THE WIDER TRAVEL INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN URGING CONGRESS TO END THE SHUTDOWN, NOW THE LONGEST IN U.S. HISTORY.