Airlines raced Thursday to rework plans and prepare customers and workers for disruptions this weekend, when a reduction of flights is set to take effect at the nation’s busiest airports.

The cuts, which the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday, will affect 40 airports and are intended to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay since the government shutdown began last month. The affected airports, serving major cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, will see a 4% reduction in air traffic starting Friday and lasting through Monday, with reductions rising to 10% next Friday, according to an FAA order released Thursday evening.

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