The ongoing federal shutdown, now in its 40th day, has plunged the US aviation industry into chaos, with over 10,000 flights delayed and more than 2,700 cancellations on Sunday alone. This marks the worst day for air travel since the shutdown began on October 1. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that air travel could dwindle to a ‘trickle’ in the lead-up to Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods in the US, due to severe shortages of air traffic controllers. Many of these essential workers, along with other federal employees, have not been paid for weeks, leading to a surge in retirements and staffing crises. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated flight reductions at 40 major airports, with cuts escalating to 10% by November 14. Airlines like United have already announced significant cancellations, while industry officials express growing concerns about the system’s ability to function under worsening conditions. The economic impact is also alarming, with estimates suggesting daily losses of $285 million to $580 million. The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners to work without pay, raising safety concerns as fatigue-related errors increase.
Over 10,000 US flights delayed on Sunday: Worst day for aviation since shutdown began
