Airlines to trim schedules to ease controllers' load

Airline schedules at the nation's busiest airports will be reduced slightly beginning Dec. 1 to ease the workload on air traffic controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says.

Since 11,500 striking controllers were fired earlier this year, the air traffic system has been temporarily manned by supervisors, nonstrikers, and military controllers who have been working long hours and six-day weeks. Flight schedules during peak periods at 22 airports will be reduced about 5 percent, with some flights shifted to off-peak hours, the FAA says.