The ongoing government shutdown in the United States is causing increasing disruptions at airports nationwide, with flight cancellations mounting due to a shortage of air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for almost a month. Over the weekend, U.S. airlines canceled more than 1,500 flights on Saturday and over 2,900 on Sunday to adhere to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive to reduce air traffic amidst controllers’ absences.
As of Monday morning, airlines had already axed nearly 1,600 flights for the day and close to 1,000 for Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day with cancellations exceeding 1,000. Adding to the chaos, a winter storm in Chicago further disrupted air travel operations. While the Senate has taken initial steps to end the shutdown, full resolution may still be days away, and experts anticipate a gradual return to normalcy for flights post-reopening.
Numerous airports are experiencing significant delays for flights that are not canceled, with Newark, Orlando, Chicago, and Detroit reporting departure delays exceeding an hour, according to FlightAware. This marks the second pay period where air traffic controllers have gone unpaid. Nick Daniels, the head of the controllers’ union, is scheduled to address the shutdown’s impact on them in a news conference on Monday.
The situation is expected to worsen as airlines struggle to reposition aircraft, pilots, and flight attendants due to the controller shortage. The FAA has implemented a series of flight reductions, starting with a four percent cut over the weekend, escalating to six percent on Tuesday, and potentially reaching 10 percent by the upcoming weekend. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned the possibility of additional flight cuts up to 20 percent as controller attendance declines without pay.
Amidst a longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers, exacerbated by the shutdown prompting accelerated retirements, the reduction in flights is primarily affecting 40 of the busiest and most congested airports in the U.S. The FAA deems these measures necessary for passenger safety, as controllers work extended hours and mandatory overtime while government funding remains unresolved. If left unaddressed, the situation could deteriorate, potentially causing a significant slowdown in air travel leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.