Travelers continue to face cancellations and delays as flight reductions due to the government shutdown enter their fourth day.
FAA announces flight reductions, leaving travelers worried about flights
The FAA will cut flights at 40 major airports by 10% to compensate for the shortage of air traffic controllers during the government shutdown.
More than 1,400 flights were canceled Monday, the fourth day of confusion by federal transportation officials during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
About 5.5% of flights are affected, which is higher than the 4% reduction currently ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration to make up for the controller shortage. The cuts are set to rise to 10% by November 14, but it is unclear whether a resolution expected this week to end the shutdown will bring about any change.
Not all current cancellations are due to government-mandated flight reductions. A winter storm has hit the Chicago area, impacting both Chicago Midway and Chicago O’Hare flights. Aviation experts told USA TODAY that weather could exacerbate delays and cancellations.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Sunday that disruption to air travel would increase.
“It’s only going to get worse,” Duffy said in an interview with CNN. “We’re going to see a very small drop in air travel two weeks before Thanksgiving.”
More than 2,600 flights were canceled on Sunday, making it the fourth worst day for cancellations since January 2024, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Cirium reported that just over 60% of flights departed on time and 30% were delayed for more than 30 minutes.
Lawmakers reached an agreement to end the shutdown on Sunday, two sources told USA Today late Sunday.
But there is still a winding road before lawmakers can actually turn on the lights, and the government has yet to reopen.
Here are the latest updates:
President Trump orders all air traffic controllers to return to work
President Donald Trump threatened to cut pay for air traffic controllers who don’t report to work after the Senate agreed to a compromise to end the government shutdown.
“All air traffic controllers must get back to work now!!!” President Trump said on social media on November 10. “Those who don’t will be effectively ‘grounded’.”
Air traffic controllers continued to work without pay during the shutdown. However, some were unable to arrive, leading to flight disruptions across the country.
FAA Administrator Brian Bedford said in early November that between 20% and 40% of air traffic controllers were not at work on any given day, Reuters reported.
More air traffic controllers are retiring since the federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1, Duffy said. He told CNN that the FAA is short 1,000 to 2,000 air traffic controllers.
President Trump called on air traffic controllers who do not report to work to resign. He promised to recommend $10,000 bonuses to air traffic controllers who kept their jobs.
“I recommend that the air traffic controllers, who are great patriots and did not take any time off because of the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ be given a $10,000 bonus each for their service to our country,” Trump said. “For those of you who complained and took time off even though we all knew you would be paid your full salary in the near future, I’m not happy with you.”
–Bert Jansen
Overall, flying remains safe, but the FAA warns that safety-related incidents, particularly instances of aircraft coming too close to each other on the ground or in the air, have increased since the shutdown began.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that’s part of the reason he ordered the traffic reductions, which should make the public safer heading into the Thanksgiving travel season.
“When I saw the 10% cut at 40 major airports, my first impression was that it was disappointing because it would affect millions of travelers, but if it’s something that has to be done for the safety of travelers, there’s no question that it’s the right decision,” Haley Berg, chief economist at online booking platform Hopper, told USA TODAY.
–Zack Wictor
Even if lawmakers hammer out a deal to reopen the government this week, travelers shouldn’t expect the nation’s airports to return to normal immediately.
Flights have already been cut at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports to make up for a shortage of air traffic controllers, and experts warn the disruption will continue long after the closures officially end.
“There will be massive disruption to the air transportation system across the country,” Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst and president of independent travel analysis firm Atmosphere Research Group, told USA TODAY. And the effects could last longer than the closure.
–Eve Chen
Duffy warns of Thanksgiving travel disruption before closure agreement
Speaking on CNN, Duffy warned that holiday travel could be affected if the shutdown continues.
“There are a lot of people who want to go home for the holidays, want to see their families and celebrate this great American holiday,” Duffy said. “Listen, a lot of them aren’t going to be able to fly because there’s not going to be that many planes flying unless this thing restarts.”
On November 7, he said the limit could jump to 15% or even 20% of all scheduled flights. Officials initially said travelers would see a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports last week.
Duffy and other aviation officials said the restrictive measures were necessary to ensure safety as air traffic controllers are short-staffed and the shutdown adds to the strain.
− Kathryn Palmer
What does the shutdown agreement include?
The shutdown deal agreed to by at least eight Senate Democrats includes reversing federal layoffs, a promised future vote on Obamacare subsidies and a full reopening of the government by Jan. 30.
It was the first time in more than a month that Congressional Republicans succeeded in persuading a significant number of their colleagues across the aisle to join them in supporting a government shutdown.
The FAA-mandated flight reductions were one of the most public and high-profile effects of the shutdown.
− Zachary Charmelet
Flight during shutdown
Two USA TODAY reporters flew during the restrictions on Sunday, Nov. 9.
Nathan Diller and Eve Chen faced different experiences in the air, with Diller reporting that the trip from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was “as smooth as it was before the shutdown,” although Chen’s flight from Atlanta to Miami arrived three hours later than originally scheduled.
See what it looks like in restricted skies.
Which airports will be affected by the cuts?
The FAA has selected the following airports to experience a gradual increase in cancellations:
- TPA – Tampa International Airport
- ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
- ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- boss – Boston Logan International Airport
- BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport
- CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Dal – Dallas Love Field
- DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- that – Denver International Airport
- DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- EEA – Newark Liberty International Airport
- FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
- HRT – Honolulu International Airport
- new – William P. Hobby Airport
- they are – Washington Dulles International Airport
- IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport
- India – Indianapolis International Airport
- John F. Kennedy – New York John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Russ – Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
- LAX – Los Angeles International Airport
- local government – New York LaGuardia Airport
- M.C.O. – Orlando International Airport
- MDW – Chicago Midway International Airport
- Mem – Memphis International Airport
- mia – Miami International Airport
- MSP – Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport
- oak – Auckland International Airport
- ont – Ontario International Airport
- ode – Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- PDX – Portland International Airport
- PHL – Philadelphia International Airport
- PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- sun – San Diego International Airport
- Self-Defense Forces – Louisville International Airport
- sea – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- SFO – San Francisco International Airport
- SLC – Salt Lake City International Airport
- TEB – Teterboro Airport
