The FAA ordered airlines to cut thousands of flights as the agency deals with air traffic controller shortages during the government shutdown. The cuts began Friday morning.

According to the FAA, thousands of flights at "high-traffic" airports across the country will be cut or canceled starting Friday. The decision, the FAA and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, was based on where air traffic controllers are feeling the most pressure.

The reductions to flight capacity are the government shutdown’s latest effect on the airline industry, which has dealt with staffing troubles and high wait times in recent weeks.

The cutback stands to impact thousands of flights nationwide because the FAA directs more than 44,000 flights daily, including commercial passenger flights, cargo planes and private aircraft.

United Airlines is the largest carrier at Newark Liberty International Airport - how will it cope with the FAA's planned 10% flight reduction that begins this Friday?

U.S. airlines began canceling hundreds of flights Thursday due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s order to reduce traffic at the country’s busiest airports starting Friday because of the government shutdown.