Flight cancellations surge as transportation secretary warns travel may slow to a 'trickle'

WASHINGTON, DC: Airline passengers across the nation faced growing travel chaos over the weekend, with thousands of flights canceled or delayed as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered airlines to reduce traffic amid the ongoing government shutdown.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Sunday, November 9, that flight reductions could reach 20% if the impasse persists.

“You’re going to see air travel reduced to a trickle,” Duffy said on CNN’s 'State of the Union'. “Many people who want to see their families for the holidays won’t be able to get on an airplane if this thing doesn’t open back up.”

FAA cites mounting stress and no-shows

The FAA on Friday began requiring airlines to cut 4% of daily flights at 40 major US airports to relieve mounting pressure on overworked and unpaid air traffic controllers.

If the shutdown continues, airlines must cut 6% of flights by Tuesday and as much as 10% by November 14.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency’s move was a “proactive step” to maintain safety amid rising absenteeism among controllers, who have reportedly gone unpaid for six weeks.

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure Americans continue to fly safely,” Bedford said.

He noted that 20% to 40% of controllers had failed to report for duty in recent days.

FlightAware data reportedly showed that roughly 800 flights were canceled on Friday, 1,460 on Saturday, and more than 1,000 on Sunday morning.

By Sunday afternoon, 4,200 flights were delayed and 1,500 canceled, with Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson seeing the heaviest disruptions.

Southwest Airlines delayed more than 1,000 flights on Sunday, while Delta canceled nearly 400. Airlines are also reportedly offering full refunds for canceled trips.

Union sounds alarm over safety and exhaustion

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned that the shutdown was pushing the aviation system to its limits.

“Controllers are working ten-hour days and six-day weeks, all without pay,” the union said in a statement.

“The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day,” they added.

Union members delivered 1,600 handwritten letters to Congress on Saturday, urging lawmakers to end the shutdown immediately.

Political blame game over shutdown intensifies

The shutdown, now in its 40th day, the longest in US history, shows no sign of resolution as both parties trade blame.

The White House on Friday accused Democrats of creating a “man-made catastrophe” that was preventing Americans from taking “life-saving medical trips or getting home for Thanksgiving.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, however, fired back, accusing Republicans of “playing games” and “punishing travelers.”

“Instead of negotiating with Democrats, Republicans would rather let air-traffic controllers go unpaid and ground flights,” Schumer said.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on Sunday that he was hopeful the shutdown could end before Thanksgiving but added that the administration had “shown no willingness to compromise.”

Senator James Lankford appearing on NBC’s 'Meet the Press', agreed that the government “absolutely needs to reopen,” saying, “It needs to be open today, if we can get it open.”