THEDAILYFREEDOM.COM COMMITTED TO REVEALING THE TRUTH!
Related Articles
Air travel across the United States descended into further chaos on Saturday (November 8) as the ongoing government shutdown forced the cancellation of more than 1,400 flights for the second day in a row. Thousands more were delayed, and aviation authorities warned that the situation could deteriorate even further in the coming days.
The BBC reported on Sunday (November 9) that the shutdown, now in its second day, has crippled both domestic and international operations. Flight-tracking service FlightAware said nearly 6,000 flights were delayed on Saturday, following over 7,000 delays a day earlier.
Earlier in the week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that exhaustion among unpaid air traffic controllers was taking a toll. To ensure safety, the agency announced it would reduce operations at the country’s 40 busiest airports by up to 10 percent.
The shutdown began on October 1 and has now dragged into its 39th day, marking the longest in U.S. history. Funding disputes between Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain unresolved, leaving vital sectors paralyzed.
Senators continued weekend negotiations in hopes of finding a compromise to reopen the government. Meanwhile, the shutdown’s effects have begun to ripple through daily American life, disrupting food assistance programs and air travel alike.
In a statement Saturday, American Airlines urged Washington leaders to act quickly:
Reach an immediate solution to end the shutdown.
The worst disruption was seen at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, where average arrival delays exceeded four hours and departures lagged by about 90 minutes as of Saturday afternoon.
The most cancellations occurred at Charlotte/Douglas International, Newark Liberty International, and Chicago O’Hare International airports. The FAA also reported significant delays from John F. Kennedy International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, and LaGuardia airports—averaging between one and three hours.
Transportation Secretary Duffy said that even private jet operations were being restricted to ease congestion at major airports. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
We’ve limited private jet flights at busy airports and directed them to use smaller facilities so that commercial traffic can flow more smoothly.
The FAA has warned that more cancellations are likely in the coming days. The agency has already cut flights by 4 percent and plans further reductions: 6 percent on November 11, 8 percent on November 13, and up to 10 percent by November 14.
Officials say these measures are necessary to maintain safety as unpaid controllers grow fatigued and absenteeism rises. Some are calling in sick, while others are taking side jobs to make ends meet.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is facing similar challenges. Most of its 64,000 employees are also working without pay, raising concerns about airport security. During the 2018 shutdown under the Trump administration, around 10 percent of TSA officers stopped reporting for work altogether.
