(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Travelers around the United States found themselves stuck or waiting for long periods on Sunday due to the country's worst day of flight issues since the government shutdown began. The significant delays and cancellations occurred after airlines were ordered by the government to cut back operations at 40 major airports, as reported by USA Today. As per flight-monitoring service FlightAware, by 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, more than 10,000 flights within, arriving to, or departing from the US were delayed, with over 3,200 being cancelled. This day saw the highest disruptions since the shutdown started. According to Reuters, Delta Air Lines was hit hardest, with 52 percent of its main flights being either delayed or cancelled. These issues are part of a larger decrease in flight availability due to serious staff shortages mandated by the government. The Trump administration initiated a 4 percent cut in domestic flights at 40 important airports starting the previous Friday, with an increase to 10 percent expected in the following week if the shutdown continues, according to CNBC.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the situation could get much worse if the impasse remains, saying to CNN that flight operations might drop to a "trickle" just before the busy holiday travel period. Shortages of air traffic controllers have caused disruptions in major airports nationwide, making the chaos worse due to the cuts made by the airlines. Data from aviation analytics company Cirium indicated that Sunday was the 11th worst day for flight cancellations in the U.S. since January 2024. The industry organization Airlines for America reported that 71 percent of the total delays on Saturday were due to staffing issues within air traffic control. The group also cautioned that more delays were expected in the next week unless Congress resolves the funding deadlock quickly. Nevertheless, on Sunday evening, there were signs of hope as Senate lawmakers reportedly moved toward reopening the government.
The shutdown has put enormous pressure on federal workers, especially air traffic controllers and airport security screeners, who must work without receiving pay. Union representatives told USA Today that many controllers have taken on additional jobs to make ends meet, as employees are about to miss their second full paycheck on Monday.
