* The Hill…

Many of the largest airports across the country will see a noticeable reduction in flight offerings starting Friday, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implements new steps to maintain air safety amid the ongoing government shutdown.

The preliminary list of 40 airports operating at reduced capacity, obtained by The Hill’s sister network NewsNation, is subject to change. The FAA is expected to announce the full list sometime later on Thursday.

The list, also obtained by The Washington Post, CBS News and ABC News, includes virtually all the major air travel hubs — from New York, to Los Angeles, to Washington, D.C., to Miami, to Chicago, to Dallas and many airports in between. […]

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced Wednesday that the agency was taking the extraordinary step of reducing flight capacity by 10 percent across 40 “high-traffic” areas in the country.

Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway are on the list of affected airports.

* NBC Chicago…

In a statement sent to NBC Chicago, the Chicago Department of Aviation said it is “monitoring the situation closely” as it awaits further details on potential impacts at Midway and O’Hare.

“Our team will continue coordinating with airline and federal partners to help minimize any disruptions,” the statement said.

O’Hare in particular has seen dozens of flights a day delayed due to staff shortages. As of 5:30 a.m. Thursday, the number of flights delayed at O’Hare was 22, with six cancelations.

* AP…

Passengers should start to be notified about cancellations Thursday. Airlines said they would try to minimize the impact on customers, some of whom will see weekend travel plans disrupted with little notice. […]

The cuts could affect as many as 1,800 flights, or upwards of 268,000 passengers, per day, according to an estimate by aviation analytics firm Cirium.

“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”

Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.