More than 800 flights have been canceled in the United States following a directive from federal officials to reduce capacity at 40 major airports during the ongoing Government shutdown. This decision has led to chaos for millions of travelers who are now experiencing long queues and significant delays. The measure, affecting only domestic flights, was implemented due to reports of fatigue among air traffic controllers, as stated by the head of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Approximately 1.4 million federal employees, including air traffic controllers and park wardens, are currently working without pay or are on mandatory leave due to the lack of a funding budget approved by the US Congress. Major airports such as those in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and Washington DC are among the ones affected by the reduced services.
The flight cancellations have been labeled as an “aviation emergency” by US Vice President JD Vance. He criticized the shutdown, describing it as a transition from farce to tragedy, with the repercussions of the national emergency impacting every senator and congressman who has not taken action to reopen the government.
The reduction in flights will be gradual, starting at 4% of domestic flights on Friday and increasing to 6% by November 11, 8% by November 13, and reaching a full 10% reduction by November 14.