US Shutdown Triggers Major Air Travel Chaos, Hundreds of Flights Canceled. A widening disruption has hit the U.S. aviation system as the country’s longest government shutdown continues, leading to major flight cancellations across the nation. Citing growing security concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has canceled hundreds of flights at 40 major airports, according to a Reuters report.
Beginning Friday (7 November) at 6 a.m. local time (5 p.m. Bangladesh time), domestic flight cancellations went into effect under FAA directives. International flights, however, remain unaffected.
Reuters reports that roughly 4% of all U.S. domestic flights were canceled due to the shutdown-related safety measures. Initially, about 700 flights were scrubbed, including services operated by American Airlines, Delta, Southwest, and United Airlines. If the shutdown continues, cancellation rates are expected to rise to 6% by Tuesday and reach 10% by November 14, the FAA warned.
American Airlines said 220 flight cancellations on Friday alone affected nearly 12,000 passengers, though most were rebooked within hours. CEO Robert Isom noted that while the initial cuts may not severely disrupt passengers, any prolonged shutdown would become increasingly problematic.
United Airlines reported 184 cancellations on Friday, with 168 planned for Saturday and 158 for Sunday. The airline said about half of the affected passengers were re-accommodated within four hours.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said authorities initially considered cutting 10% of flight operations starting Friday, but security officials warned that such abrupt reductions could cause greater disruption. Instead, a phased approach totaling 4% was adopted.
Duffy added that pilot complaints have surged, air traffic control response times are slowing, and controllers are under mounting pressure. “Safety indicators are trending in the wrong direction,” he said.
The FAA released its list of affected airports on Thursday night, barely 12 hours before the directive took effect—prompting frustration among airlines, though the agency dismissed their objections.
The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security personnel to work without pay. FAA Administrator Brian Bedford said only 20–40% of air traffic controllers are reporting to duty on any given day.
Six airports reported significant delays Friday due to controller shortages. The FAA also imposed restrictions on rocket launch operations.
The agency warned that if certain regions face increased strain, it may further revise its reduction plans and potentially limit private aviation traffic by up to 10% at busy airports.
Experts say that while the aviation system can absorb the initial wave of cancellations, a shutdown lasting into mid-November could trigger a severe crisis across U.S. domestic air travel.
According to Reuters, the U.S. typically handles around 25,000 domestic flights per day. With the shutdown draining the FAA’s operational capacity and leaving thousands of workers unpaid or absent, the reliability of the country’s air safety infrastructure is increasingly uncertain.
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