Written by The Banking Post
The US government shutdown has begun to take a heavy toll on air travel, with officials warning of steep flight reductions if the crisis continues.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Friday said the government could order airlines to slash up to 20% of flights nationwide if the shutdown is not resolved soon. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already instructed airlines to cut 4% of flights at 40 major airports starting Friday, with reductions expected to rise to 10% by November 14.
The impact was immediate. Air traffic controller absences forced widespread delays across the country, grounding or delaying flights in Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Newark. By Friday evening, more than 5,300 flights had been delayed, according to tracking site FlightAware.
At Reagan Washington National Airport, delays averaged four hours, with nearly 17% of flights cancelled and 40% delayed.
The disruptions come as 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been working without pay for weeks, leading to rising absenteeism. Many were told this week they would again receive no pay in the next pay period.
Duffy said the escalating cuts were a safety-driven decision. “We’re going to make decisions based on what we see in the airspace,” he said, warning that deeper reductions could follow if staffing shortages worsen.
The cuts, which began early Friday morning, affected about 700 flights from major carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, and United Airlines. The reductions will rise to 6% on Tuesday and 10% by mid-November if the shutdown continues.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said initial disruptions were limited but warned the situation could deteriorate quickly. “This level of cancellation is going to grow over time, and that’s going to be problematic,” he said. American cancelled 220 flights, affecting 12,000 passengers, though most were rerouted within hours.
United Airlines reported cancelling 184 flights on Friday and expected further cuts through the weekend, though half of its affected passengers were rebooked within four hours.
FAA officials said safety concerns — including instances of aircraft not maintaining proper separation — prompted the cuts. The agency is also restricting space launches and could limit private-plane flights by up to 10% at high-traffic airports.
The shutdown has now stretched into its record-breaking 38th day, with federal employees unpaid and public frustration mounting. New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted an image of cancelled flights, writing that “the GOP shutdown has grounded America — just in time for the holidays.”
If the stalemate continues, the skies over the United States could soon see even fewer flights — and far longer delays.
