As the U.S. government shutdown eclipses the 2018-2019 record to become the longest in American history-now stretching into its 39th day-the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has unleashed unprecedented flight reductions at 40 of the nation's busiest airports, sending ripples of chaos through the travel industry and stranding thousands of passengers. What began as a precautionary measure to safeguard air traffic control amid unpaid staff has escalated into a full-blown crisis, with airlines scrambling to cancel hundreds of flights daily and experts warning of severe disruptions just weeks before Thanksgiving.
The cuts, ordered by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, kicked in at 6 a.m. local time on Friday, mandating an initial 4% reduction in operations at major hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, and all three New York-area airports. This figure is set to climb progressively: 6% by Tuesday, 8% by Thursday, and a full 10% by November 14, potentially axing up to 4,400 flights per day nationwide if the stalemate persists.
The air travel shutdown is now encroaching on the Thanksgiving and Christmas travel seasons, some of the busiest times of the year for US airlines, which is expected to drastically exacerbate the problem if a compromise is not reached. The move affects over two dozen states and spares international routes but hammers domestic travel, particularly regional feeders that connect smaller airports to these high-volume gateways.
At the heart of the turmoil are the FAA's roughly 14,000 air traffic controllers, essential federal workers required to report for duty without pay since early October. Already short-staffed with about 3,000 vacancies, the workforce has endured mounting fatigue, "sick outs," and even second jobs to make ends meet-trends that have spiked "staffing triggers" at facilities nationwide. Pilots and controllers alike have reported heightened system strain, prompting Duffy to describe the reductions as a "proactive" step to avert mid-air collisions or other catastrophes.
"Controllers are exhausted, and we're seeing increased reports of near-misses from overworked teams," Bedford said during a November 5 press conference at the Department of Transportation headquarters. "This isn't about politics; it's about keeping planes from running into each other." Duffy echoed the sentiment, telling Breitbart News on Friday that cuts could balloon to 15-20% by the holidays if more controllers call out, potentially forcing a near-total airspace lockdown.
The immediate fallout has been stark. Flight tracking data from Cirium and FlightAware shows over 1,000 cancellations on Friday alone-about 800 directly tied to the FAA mandate-coupled with more than 3,300 delays. Major carriers like United, American, and Delta have issued blanket notifications, with United warning passengers of schedule tweaks through at least Sunday. In Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, security lines snaked beyond 45 minutes as unpaid TSA screeners grappled with thinner ranks, while LaGuardia in New York saw travelers bedding down on terminal floors amid overnight scrambles. Some families and businesses reported having to reroute their plans to include more time-consuming and dangerous road or rail travel.