Flight disruptions continue to plague US air travel for a third consecutive day, as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stark warning that air traffic may be “reduced to a trickle” if the government shutdown persists.
On Sunday morning, flight tracking service FlightAware reported approximately 1,400 cancellations and 2,700 delays for flights to, from, or within the country. Newark, New Jersey, experienced the longest delays, averaging over two hours.
Lawmakers seek resolution amidst travel chaos
In what may be a glimmer of hope, legislators are reportedly negotiating a potential agreement to resolve government funding issues and end the ongoing shutdown. The Senate convened for a rare weekend session on Sunday in an effort to address the crisis.
Duffy emphasized that without a resolution, the repercussions for air travel are likely to worsen. He expressed concern for travelers attempting to return home for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, stating, “Many of them are not going to be able to get on an airplane, because there are not going to be that many flights that fly if this thing doesn’t open back up.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had previously announced plans to reduce air travel capacity by up to 6% for this weekend and by 10% the following weekend at 40 of the busiest airports in the nation. While these reductions do not extend to international flights, airlines may still opt to cancel some of those routes as well.
Impact on air traffic controllers and federal workers
With air traffic controllers not being paid during the shutdown, reports indicate that many are fatigued and choosing not to report for work, which is contributing to the limits on air traffic. Duffy noted that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered military air traffic controllers to assist, but declined the offer due to their lack of certification for directing civilian airport traffic.
As the shutdown continues, hundreds of thousands of federal employees are going unpaid since the government ran out of funds on October 1. Additionally, food assistance for low-income Americans has faced disruptions, with the administration agreeing to provide only half of the usual monthly benefits.
Sunday marked the 40th day of what has become the longest government shutdown in history, with Republicans and Democrats still at an impasse over the funding resolution necessary to reopen the government. Both parties have exchanged blame for causing the stalemate and the resulting travel disruptions. The White House stated on Friday that Democrats are “inflicting their man-made catastrophe on Americans just trying to make life-saving medical trips or get home for Thanksgiving”, while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of “playing games with people’s livelihoods”.
Democrats have insisted they will not support any Republican spending plan unless it includes funding for health insurance subsidies, while Republicans are keen on securing government funding without additional stipulations. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump suggested that funds should be directly allocated to Americans for purchasing health insurance rather than being funneled to insurance companies. Republican senators are working on a compromise package that could potentially resolve the deadlock, with a vote to advance legislation possibly taking place on Sunday.