NEW YORK (AP) — Air travel in the United States is facing severe disruptions as a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown. If Congress fails to reach a deal to reopen the government, the situation is anticipated to worsen this week. U.S. airlines canceled over 1,500 flights on Saturday and more than 2,900 on Sunday due to an FAA order to reduce traffic. This order came in response to air traffic controllers, who have not been paid for nearly a month, stopping work, leading to significant staffing shortages at critical air traffic control centers.
As of early Monday, airlines had already canceled nearly 1,600 flights for that day and anticipated nearly 1,000 more cancellations for Tuesday. While the Senate took initial steps toward ending the shutdown on Sunday, final resolution may take several days. Experts warn that once the government reopens, it will take time for air travel to return to normal.
Many airports across the nation, particularly those in Newark, Orlando, Chicago, and Detroit, are experiencing significant delays of over an hour for flights that are still operational. This is the second pay period during which air traffic controllers have gone without compensation. Nick Daniels, the head of the air traffic controllers union, is scheduled to hold a press conference Monday morning to discuss the adverse effects the shutdown is having on workers and air travel as a whole.
The ongoing delays and flight cancellations are expected to intensify as airlines struggle to reposition planes, pilots, and flight attendants amidst the growing air traffic controller shortage. To manage this crisis, the FAA implemented a mandatory 4% reduction in flights this past weekend, which is set to increase to 6% on Tuesday and reach a 10% reduction by the following weekend. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that, should the situation continue, further cuts of up to 20% might become necessary.
Duffy emphasized that “more controllers aren’t coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheck.” The issue of air traffic controller shortages has persisted for years, with various presidential administrations attempting to encourage retirement-age controllers to prolong their tenure. The current shutdown has worsened these staffing issues, prompting some controllers to retire early.
Despite the seemingly modest 4% reduction, much of this impact affects 40 of the nation’s busiest airports. The FAA has stated that these flight reductions are crucial for maintaining safety, as the remaining controllers are working extended hours and mandatory overtime in an unfunded environment.
If the funding situation is not resolved promptly, the outlook for air travel could deteriorate further as the U.S. approaches the busy holiday travel season. Duffy warned that air travel might “be reduced to a trickle” in the week leading up to Thanksgiving.
