Over 1,000 flights within, to, or from the United States were cancelled on Saturday, following directives to airlines to reduce traffic amidst the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Flight tracking service FlightAware reported nearly 4,000 flight delays, a decrease from the over 7,000 delays experienced on Friday.
Earlier in the week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a reduction of up to 10% in air travel capacity at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, citing fatigue among air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the shutdown.
As the shutdown, which commenced on October 1st, continues, Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over a resolution to end the congressional impasse.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey experienced some of the most significant delays. According to the FAA, as of Saturday afternoon, arrival delays averaged over four hours, while departures were delayed by an average of 1.5 hours.
FlightAware identified Charlotte/Douglas International, Newark Liberty International, and Chicago O’Hare International as the airports with the highest number of flight cancellations, both inbound and outbound, on Saturday.
The FAA reported that, as of Saturday afternoon, departures to John F. Kennedy International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, and LaGuardia were delayed by nearly three hours, over 2.5 hours, and approximately one hour, respectively.
With Thanksgiving approaching on November 27th, the U.S. is entering one of its busiest travel periods of the year.
Secretary Duffy noted in a Saturday post on X that the impact extends beyond commercial flights, with restrictions also affecting private jets.
“We’ve reduced their volume at high traffic airports — instead having private jets utilize smaller airports or airfields so busy controllers can focus on commercial aviation,” Duffy wrote. “That’s only fair.”
The situation is expected to worsen in the coming days as the FAA increases the percentage of cancelled flights.
The agency announced on Thursday that flight reductions would be implemented gradually, starting at 4% of flights on Friday, rising to 6% by November 11th, 8% by November 13th, and reaching the full 10% by November 14th.
The FAA stated that these cuts are necessary to maintain safety, as air traffic controllers have been overworked during the shutdown.
Unions report that as essential workers, controllers are required to continue working without pay, leading many to call out sick or take on second jobs to cover essential expenses.
Controllers are among the 1.4 million federal workers who have either been working without pay or placed on furlough during the shutdown.
Saturday marked the 39th day of the longest shutdown in history, with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a funding resolution to reopen the government.
Senators are in Washington over the weekend for bipartisan negotiations aimed at ending the shutdown.
Another factor impacting air travel is that the majority of the Transportation Security Agency’s (TSA) 64,000 agents are also working without pay during the shutdown.
During the previous government shutdown under President Donald Trump in 2018, it was found that up to 10% of TSA staff chose to stay home rather than work without pay.
Police say they found Maria Florinda Rios Perez, 32, dead after she was shot on the front porch of a home in an Indianapolis suburb.
The programme has been left in limbo during the US government shutdown, with the White House saying it can’t afford it.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Alex Vesia and his wife, Kayla, say their newborn daughter died midway through the team’s World Series run.
On the surface, the Hungarian PM’s trip was exactly what he wanted, but the full picture is more complex, writes the BBC’s Nick Thorpe.
The current US government shutdown has become the longest on record, and it is not clear when it will end.