US Air Travel Disruptions Continue as Flight Cancellations Exceed 1,000

Sun Nov 09 2025 04:39:54 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the government shutdown extends into its second day, over 1,000 flights have been cancelled across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented capacity reductions, citing air traffic controller fatigue due to the ongoing shutdown.

The ongoing federal government shutdown is severely impacting air travel in the US, leading to more than 1,000 flight cancellations and nearly 4,000 delays. With air traffic controllers working without pay, safety measures have prompted the FAA to cut down flight capacity at key airports. Major hubs like Newark and Chicago are particularly affected, as negotiations to end the standoff continue in Congress.

More than 1,000 flights to, from, or within the US were cancelled on Saturday after airlines were told this week to cut traffic during the federal government shutdown.

Nearly 4,000 flights were also delayed, down from over 7,000 delays on Friday, according to flight tracker FlightAware.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced earlier in the week that it would be reducing air travel capacity by up to 10% at 40 of the nation's busiest airports as air traffic controllers, who are working without pay during the shutdown, report fatigue.

Republicans and Democrats remain divided over how to end the impasse in Congress as the shutdown, which began 1 October, continues.

New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport was experiencing some of the longest wait times. As of Saturday afternoon, arrivals to the airport were delayed by an average of more than four hours, while departures from the airport were delayed by an average of 1.5 hours, according to the FAA.

The airports with the most cancelled flights on Saturday included Charlotte/Douglas International, Newark Liberty International, and Chicago O'Hare International, according to FlightAware.

Departures to John F. Kennedy International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, and La Guardia were delayed by nearly three hours, over 2.5 hours, and about an hour, respectively, the FAA reported.

With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching on 27 November, one of the busiest travel seasons in the US is at hand.

It's not just commercial flights that have been affected. Restrictions on private jets are also in place, as per Secretary Duffy's statements on social media.

In an effort to manage traffic at high-traffic airports, private jets are being redirected to smaller airports, allowing busy controllers to focus on commercial flights.

The FAA plans to increase cancellations gradually, beginning with a 4% reduction on Friday, which is expected to rise to 10% by November 14.

This measure is deemed necessary for safety, as air traffic controllers have been overworked during the shutdown.

Saturday marked the 39th day of the longest government shutdown in history. Bipartisan negotiations are ongoing in an effort to resolve the deadlock and resume normal operations.

The impact of the shutdown is being felt widely, as most of the Transportation Security Agency's (TSA) 64,000 agents are also working without pay.

Experience from the previous government shutdown in 2018 suggests that a significant number of TSA staff may choose to stay home if the current impasse continues.