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Thousands of passengers across the United States faced severe travel disruptions due to widespread flight cancellations and delays amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. The crisis highlights mounting pressure on the aviation system as air traffic controllers work without pay and airlines reduce flights under government mandates.
The cancellations swept through the nation’s biggest air hubs, Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte and Newark, snarling travel plans coast to coast.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded across the United States on Sunday as airlines cancelled more than 2,700 flights and delayed over 10,000, the worst day of air travel disruption since the federal government shutdown began.
The chaos has laid bare why America’s aviation network is faltering, as unpaid air traffic controllers call in sick, radar centres run thin on staff, and major airlines struggle under government-mandated flight cuts.
WHERE AND WHEN THE CHAOS HIT HARDEST
The cancellations swept through the nation’s biggest air hubs, Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte and Newark, snarling travel plans coast to coast.
Flight-tracking site FlightAware reported over 1,000 cancellations on Friday, 1,500 on Saturday, and Sunday’s record-breaking figures have already forced airlines to pre-emptively axe flights for the coming week.
Delta Air Lines was hit the hardest, with disruptions affecting more than half its mainline flights on Sunday.
“It’s the worst I’ve seen in years,” a traveller stranded in Miami en route to the Dominican Republic, Emmy Holguin, was quoted as saying by AP. “We all have somewhere to be. I’m just hoping the government fixes this soon.”
WHY ARE FLIGHTS BEING GROUNDED?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to reduce commercial flights by 4% across 40 major airports, with cuts expected to deepen to 10% by Friday if the shutdown continues.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned more drastic measures could follow as air traffic controllers, now working six-day weeks without pay, increasingly call in sick or look for other jobs.
The Air Traffic Controllers Association said it has delivered 1,600 handwritten letters to Congress urging an end to the shutdown, citing “unsustainable pressure” on exhausted staff who are keeping the skies safe on borrowed time.
HOW PASSENGERS ARE PAYING THE PRICE
For travellers, the shutdown has turned airports into waiting rooms of uncertainty.
Airlines are attempting to rebook passengers, but last-minute changes and mass cancellations have left many stranded or forced to seek costly alternatives.
Rental car firms reported a surge in one-way bookings, while others have cancelled holidays altogether.
“It’s been stressful and expensive,” said Heather Xu, who was trying to fly home to Puerto Rico after a cruise.
New Jersey resident Diana Alvear cancelled her family’s trip to California, fearing they might get stuck mid-journey. “We lost nearly Rs 700 on our Airbnb deposit,” she said. “It’s disheartening and financially draining.”
ECONOMIC AFTERSHOCKS LOOMING
The aviation crisis now threatens to ripple through the wider economy.
Nearly half of US air freight travels in passenger aircraft bellies, a bottleneck that could soon drive up shipping costs and consumer prices, warned Patrick Penfield, a supply chain expert at Syracuse University.
“This shutdown is going to impact everything, from cargo and tourism to city tax revenues,” said Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group. “It’s a cascading effect that hits every part of the economy.”
WHAT LIES AHEAD
With the federal shutdown stretching into its fourth week, analysts fear the turmoil could escalate into the Thanksgiving travel rush, traditionally the year’s busiest period.
For now, America’s skies, and its travellers, remain trapped in a political deadlock that shows no sign of lifting.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Sonali Verma
Published On:
Nov 10, 2025
