The US government shutdown has caused a sharp rise in flight delays and cancellations, with more than 2,800 flights canceled and over 10,200 delayed on Sunday alone. This represents the worst day of disruptions since the shutdown began, now entering a record‑breaking 40 days. A shortage of air traffic controllers—who have not been paid for weeks—has forced airlines to trim schedules. Major carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines are all affected.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to cut 4 % of daily flights at 40 major airports because of air‑traffic‑control safety concerns. Reductions are slated to rise to 6 % on Tuesday and reach 10 % by November 14. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the situation will deteriorate further in the run‑up to Thanksgiving, one of the nation’s busiest travel periods. “It’s only going to get worse… the two weeks before Thanksgiving, you’re going to see air travel be reduced to a trickle,” he said.
Air travel has already been heavily impacted, with millions of passengers affected. Airlines for America, the industry trade group, estimates that more than four million travelers have had their plans disrupted since October 1. The economic fallout is significant, with daily losses projected at $285 million to $580 million by next Friday. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett cautioned that the disruption could hurt US economic growth, especially during the Thanksgiving period.
The US Senate has voted to advance a bill to end the shutdown, but it still requires House approval and the signature of President Donald Trump. Until a resolution is reached, flight cuts are expected to continue. United Airlines, for example, plans to cancel 190 flights on Monday and 269 on Tuesday. The FAA has reported staffing problems at 12 air‑traffic‑control towers, and a growing number of controllers have retired since the shutdown began. Without a swift resolution, the situation is likely to worsen, with serious consequences for both air travel and the US economy.
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