A number of major US airlines have canceled thousands of flights due to the country's record-long shutdown.
Points of attention
- The record number of flight cancellations in the US is a direct result of the prolonged government shutdown, with thousands of flights being grounded due to non-payment of salaries to air traffic controllers.
- If the shutdown continues, the Federal Aviation Administration warns of a projected 10% reduction in airport capacity, leading to further disruptions in air travel across the country.
- With ongoing financial pressures, air traffic controllers face increasing layoffs, forcing the FAA to cut an additional 5% of domestic flights weekly, despite heightened demand during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday season.
US shutdown causes thousands of flights to be canceled
This number represents 10% of all US air traffic.
More flights are expected to be canceled next week by order of the Federal Aviation Administration.
As noted, this is happening because air traffic controllers, who have not been paid for almost a month due to the prolonged government shutdown, are increasingly being laid off due to financial pressure.
If the shutdown continues, the Federal Aviation Administration will cut another 5% of domestic flights each week, despite increased demand for flights due to the approaching Thanksgiving holiday.
For now, these cuts only apply to domestic air travel in the U.S. American airlines expect limited disruptions this weekend and have stressed that international flights are not expected to be affected.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that starting on the morning of November 7, air traffic capacity at 40 major US airports will be reduced by 10% if the shutdown continues.
