The U.S. aviation sector faced over 2,700 flight cancellations on Sunday, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioning that air travel nationwide might significantly slow down if the ongoing federal government shutdown extends into the upcoming Thanksgiving travel period. The slowdown, affecting 40 major airports, is now in its third day and causing more extensive disruptions. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently mandated flight reductions at the busiest airports due to unpaid air traffic controllers not reporting to work.
On Sunday alone, over 10,000 flight delays were recorded, marking the highest disruptions in a single day since the commencement of the government shutdown. Flight cancellations on Friday exceeded 1,000 and surpassed 1,500 on Saturday. The FAA initiated reductions at a rate of four percent starting from Friday, set to escalate to 10 percent by November 14, impacting all commercial airlines during the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta led in cancellations on Sunday, with over 570 flights affected, followed by Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey with at least 265 cancellations. Weather conditions in Georgia, including widespread freezing alerts from the National Weather Service office in Atlanta until Tuesday, might have also contributed to the disruptions.
Traveler Kyra March, who experienced numerous flight delays and cancellations, finally reached Hartsfield-Jackson on Sunday after rebooking her journey. Meanwhile, staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardia Airport in New York led to average departure delays of approximately 75 minutes. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan witnessed minimal activity on Sunday morning, with short security checkpoint wait times amid the flurry of delays and cancellations.
Secretary Duffy warned of further declines in air traffic if the shutdown persists, suggesting potential additional flight cuts of up to 20 percent, especially as controllers face another pay period without compensation. He emphasized the looming challenges for Americans during the Thanksgiving holiday season, with anticipated severe disruptions and mass flight cancellations unless air traffic controllers receive their salaries.
The government’s prolonged shortage of air traffic controllers, compounded by accelerated retirements amidst the shutdown, has exacerbated the existing staffing crisis. Duffy disclosed that retirement rates have spiked, with up to 15 to 20 controllers retiring daily. While an offer from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide military controllers was received, uncertainties remain regarding their certification for civilian air traffic control operations.
Contrary to Democratic allegations of political motives behind the flight cancellations, Duffy stressed the necessity of action to ensure passenger safety due to mounting operational strains in the aviation system. Airlines for America reported that staffing-related delays surpassed 3,000 hours on Saturday, attributing 71 percent of delay time to staffing issues. Since October 1, controller shortages have disrupted over four million passengers on U.S. carriers, as per Airlines for America data.