On Sunday, U.S. airlines faced significant disruptions, with over 2,100 flights canceled amid a critical federal government shutdown that is affecting air traffic control operations across the country. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the shutdown continues, the flow of air traffic could substantially decline, particularly as the busy Thanksgiving travel season approaches.
The ongoing slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports has now stretched into its third consecutive day, causing widespread chaos in air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented flight cuts at major airports following concerns that some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have begun to stop reporting for duty. Last week, the FAA was forced to order a reduction in flight operations to address staffing shortages.
According to FlightAware, a travel disruption tracking website, approximately 7,000 flight delays were reported just on Sunday. The situation has been worsening over the weekend, with more than 1,000 flights canceled on Friday and an additional 1,500 cancellations on Saturday.
The FAA's initial reduction in flights, which began at 4% on Friday, is set to increase to 10% by November 14. These measures will be in effect daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and will affect all commercial airlines operating within the United States.
Leading the cancellations on Sunday was Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, which reported over 570 cancellations, followed by Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, with at least 265 canceled flights. The FAA indicated that staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardia Airport in New York were resulting in average departure delays reaching approximately 75 minutes.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan showed a stark contrast, remaining relatively empty on Sunday morning, with minimal wait times at security but widespread delays and cancellations visible on the arrival and departure boards.
During interviews, Secretary Duffy expressed concerns about the future of air travel in the United States, particularly if the government shutdown does not come to an end soon. He highlighted that U.S. air traffic could experience a significant decline, suggesting that up to 20% more flight cuts might be necessary if air traffic controllers continue to miss work due to lack of pay. "More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheck," Duffy stated on Fox News Sunday.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, Duffy warned travelers to anticipate significant disruptions, saying, "As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle." He forecasted a reality where few flights would be taking off or landing due to critically low staffing levels among air traffic controllers, resulting in thousands of cancellations and anger from passengers. He added, "It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid."
Historically, the U.S. has faced a shortage of air traffic controllers, a problem compounded by the current government shutdown. Duffy noted that prior administrations have struggled to retain controllers approaching retirement age, and the ongoing shutdown has caused some to expedite their retirements, with daily retirements reaching 15 to 20 individuals.
In an unusual move, Duffy revealed that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had offered to provide military air traffic controllers to help mitigate the situation, although the suitability of these personnel for civilian systems remains uncertain.
Duffy refuted allegations from Democratic leaders that the flight cancellations were politically motivated, asserting that they were critical for maintaining safety in an already burdened air traffic system. "I needed to take action to keep people safe," he asserted, stating his commitment to resolving the crisis. According to Airlines for America, air traffic control staffing-related delays totaled more than 3,000 hours on Saturday alone, underscoring the severe impact of the staffing shortages on air travel during this period.
From October 1 to November 7, it has been reported that controller shortages have affected over 4 million passengers traveling with U.S. carriers, emphasizing the scale of the disruption caused by this ongoing issue.
