US airlines began cancelling hundreds of flights on Thursday due to the Federal Aviation Administration`s order to reduce traffic at the country`s busiest airports starting Friday because of the ongoing government shutdown. Close to 500 flights scheduled for Friday were already cut nationwide, and the number of cancellations climbed steadily throughout Thursday afternoon, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.

The FAA order to cut flights at 40 of the busiest airports across the US includes New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, but the impact will disrupt travel at many smaller airports, too. The FAA seeks to reduce service by 10 per cent across "high-volume" markets to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain during the shutdown. The move also comes as the Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Democrats in Congress to end the shutdown.