Impending Airport Crisis: Government Shutdown Threatens Holiday Travel

Mon Nov 10 2025 00:27:52 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

With the looming federal government shutdown, air travel disruptions are escalating, and urgent measures are being implemented at major airports across the U.S., including staffing shortages and significant flight cancellations.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that air traffic may slow significantly as the government shutdown extends into the busy Thanksgiving travel season. Staffing shortages at key airports have resulted in thousands of flight cancellations and delays, raising concerns about the travel experience for holiday-goers. As controllers remain unpaid, agencies may need to cut flights further, with serious implications for travelers.

WASHINGTON – The looming federal government shutdown is causing significant disruptions in U.S. air travel, with fears emerging that air traffic could slow to a trickle just as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, warns Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

In recent developments, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun implementing flight cuts at major U.S. airports due to dwindling staffing levels, as some air traffic controllers have reportedly stopped showing up for work after enduring nearly a month without pay.

Flight reductions started last week at 4% and are set to escalate to 10% on November 14. These changes will affect all commercial airlines operating from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time.

As of Sunday afternoon, over 1,700 flights had been canceled, and nearly 5,000 were delayed, accelerating a crisis that follows around 1,500 cancellations the previous day. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta led the cancellations, reflecting the urgency of the situation.

Staffing shortages have particularly hit Newark and LaGuardia airports, where average departure delays are hitting roughly 75 minutes, as reported by the FAA. Travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport observed an unexpectedly empty terminal, with notably minimal wait times.

Duffy projecting that disruptions will continue to worsen, stated on Fox News Sunday that as controllers continue to work without pay, more are expected to stop coming to work, creating a cyclical problem that exacerbates the already-shaky air travel system.

Public sentiment towards the shutdown and how it affects air travel is escalating, with frustrations brewing among passengers as they face significant delays and cancellations amid the holiday season.

In an effort to mitigate the crisis, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reached out to offer military air traffic controllers, although the viability and certification status of military staff for civilian operations remain uncertain.

The situation has sparked political debates with accusations of using flight cancellations as leverage during a government shutdown, which Duffy countered by emphasizing the pressing need for action to maintain safety amid an overextended system.

The ongoing dilemma with air traffic controller shortages is not new; indeed, this issue has haunted multiple administrations, and Duffy noted a rise in the rate of retirements among controllers, further complicating the landscape.