In brief
The ongoing U.S. federal government shutdown is significantly impacting air traffic, with the FAA ordering flight reductions at busy airports due to unpaid air traffic controllers. With the situation worsening and delays affecting hundreds of flights, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that air travel could slow to a trickle ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Controller retirements are accelerating, raising concerns about safety and increased disruption.
With the federal government shutdown affecting air traffic across the United States, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that disruptions could severely impact travel as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. In a recent statement, Duffy indicated that air traffic could slow to a trickle if the shutdown continues.
The impact is particularly evident at major airports, where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented flight reductions. The cuts began last week at 4% and are set to rise to 10% by November 14th, affecting all commercial airlines and resulting from unpaid air traffic controllers who have stopped reporting for work.
This past weekend, the situation escalated dramatically, with FlightAware reporting over 1,700 flight cancellations on Sunday alone and nearly 5,000 delays, following more than 1,500 cancellations on Saturday. Major airports like Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta and Newark Liberty International faced the highest numbers of cancellations.
Poor staffing at Newark and LaGuardia airports led to average delays of around 75 minutes, further compounding the travel chaos. Duffy stated that the ongoing staffing shortages at traffic control centers—exacerbated by the government shutdown—have resulted in increasing delays and safety concerns, prompting necessary flight reductions.
As controllers continue to be unpaid, more are opting for early retirement, Duffy highlighted. Reports indicate that up to 20 controllers are retiring daily, further straining an already under-resourced workforce.
The trade group Airlines for America reported that air traffic control-related delays surged above 3,000 hours last Saturday, with controller shortages contributing to significant disruption for a staggering 4 million passengers from October 1 to November 7.
As Thanksgiving draws near, Duffy urges travelers to prepare for further disruptions, dubbing the up-and-coming holiday season as particularly fraught with challenges, as air traffic may only consist of a few flights taking off amid widespread cancellations. Duffy emphasized the need for the government to resolve the funding issue quickly to alleviate the burden on the aviation system and ensure passenger safety.
