Chaos rippled through America’s skies on Friday as nearly 2,000 flights were canceled or delayed nationwide, the latest fallout from the ongoing federal government shutdown that has crippled air traffic operations, according to BBC News.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered airlines to reduce flight schedules at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports in an effort to ease the mounting pressure on air traffic controllers, many of whom are working without pay or skipping shifts altogether.
With staffing levels thinning and fatigue setting in, the FAA said it would begin by reducing domestic flight volumes by 4 percent, ramping up to a 10 percent cut by the end of next week. Officials warned that as many as 4,000 flights per day could ultimately be affected if the shutdown drags on.
Travelers across major hubs from Atlanta and Chicago to New York and Los Angeles; faced cascading delays, long security lines, and last-minute cancellations as airlines scrambled to adjust schedules.
Union representatives said morale among air traffic controllers has plummeted, with many taking side jobs or calling in sick as the shutdown stretches into its second week. “They’re exhausted, anxious, and unpaid,” said one industry official. “This isn’t sustainable.”
The White House and Congress remain locked in a funding standoff that has shuttered large parts of the federal government, leaving critical infrastructure, including aviation safety systems, understaffed.
As weary travelers waited in crowded terminals Friday night, one thing was clear: the shutdown’s toll is no longer confined to politics in Washington; it’s now landing squarely on the nation’s runways.
