After the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday that it was taking unusual action to reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 “high-volume” markets to maintain travel safety, customers likely have concerns and questions about how this will impact their travel plans, especially into the busy holiday season.

The cutback stands to impact thousands of flights nationwide because the FAA directs more than 44,000 flights daily. The agency said the restrictions would remain in place as long as necessary.

Here are five things travelers need to know.

Why is this happening?

The government shutdown has had broad affect on many aspects of federal governance but particularly on staffing, which has impaired the ability of U.S. airports to maintain operations. Air traffic controllers and airport

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