US Airlines Cancel Over 2,700 Flights Amid Government Shutdown
U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights on Sunday, primarily due to the government shutdown and the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) directive to reduce air traffic. This disruption has significantly impacted operations at major airports.
Impact on Airports and Travelers
The slowdown affected 40 of the busiest airports nationwide, leading to widespread delays and cancellations as the shutdown entered its third day. Nearly 10,000 flight delays were reported on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware, a prominent air travel tracking website.
- Travelers faced long lines at check-in counters and security checkpoints, including at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
- Delays were especially notable at LaGuardia Airport in New York, where American Airlines and American Eagle planes remained at gates amid reduced traffic.
Government Shutdown Effects
The FAA ordered reductions in flights due to some air traffic controllers not reporting to work after nearly a month without pay. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the shutdown continues into the Thanksgiving holiday travel season, air traffic could “slow to a trickle.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights on Sunday as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic across the nation would “slow to a trickle” if the federal government shutdown lingered into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season.
The FAA last week ordered flight cuts at the nation’s busiest airports as some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have stopped showing up for work.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press.
Summary
The ongoing government shutdown and FAA's air traffic restrictions have caused extensive flight cancellations and delays, threatening to severely disrupt the Thanksgiving holiday travel season.