WASHINGTON: Air travel in the United States faces severe disruption as the government shutdown enters its 40th day, with thousands of flights cancelled or delayed and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning that travel could “slow to a trickle” ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
The shutdown has left federal air traffic controllers and security staff working without pay, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reduce flights at major airports to maintain safety.
More than 1,530 flights were cancelled across the US on Saturday, with nearly 6,000 further delays reported, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
The cancellations rose from 1,025 on Friday, reflecting the strain on air traffic operations during the prolonged shutdown.
The FAA has instructed airlines to cut flights by 4% at 40 major airports, a figure set to rise to 6% by 11 November and 10% by 14 November.
These reductions are aimed at addressing staffing shortages, as many air traffic controllers are working unpaid or taking leave due to financial pressure.
“The two weeks before Thanksgiving, you’re going to see air travel be reduced to a trickle,” Duffy told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“Many of them are not going to be able to get on an airplane, because there are not going to be that many flights that fly if [the government] doesn’t open back up.”
Staffing shortages and safety concerns
The shutdown has forced 14,000 FAA air traffic controllers and roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work without pay.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said earlier that 20-40% of controllers had not reported to work in recent days, creating “signs of stress” in the US air traffic system.
Airports affected include Atlanta, Newark, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, where delays average several hours.
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International, one of the busiest US airports, experienced delays averaging 282 minutes due to ground delay programmes imposed by the FAA.
Private jets are also subject to restrictions, Secretary Duffy said, to allow controllers to prioritise commercial aviation.
Airlines and economy feel pressure
The shutdown is affecting airlines and the broader economy. American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United Airlines have each cancelled hundreds of flights under FAA orders, with additional cancellations due to staffing gaps.
Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group, warned of wider economic repercussions. “This shutdown is going to impact everything from cargo aircraft to people getting to business meetings to tourists being able to travel,” he told The Associated Press.
“It’s going to hit the hotel taxes and city taxes. There’s a cascading effect that results from this thing.”
Commercial aircraft also carry freight, meaning the disruption threatens shipping and supply chains during the busiest travel season of the year.
Political standoff continues
The shutdown began on 1 October and has become the longest in US history, as Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked over government funding and health insurance subsidies.
More than 1.4 million federal employees are either working without pay or furloughed.
Senators met over the weekend in Washington for bipartisan negotiations, but no agreement has yet been reached.
Flight cancellations and delays are expected to increase in the coming days. The FAA plans to gradually increase flight reductions to 10% at major airports to ensure safety.
With Thanksgiving on 27 November approaching, millions of Americans face uncertainty over holiday travel plans.
“Air travel is only going to get worse as people try to fly home for the holidays,” Duffy said. “We’re going to see massive disruption and a lot of angry Americans if this shutdown continues.”
