U.S. air travel is facing significant chaos as the ongoing federal government shutdown constrains aviation operations across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that starting Friday, flight traffic at around 40 major U.S. airports will be cut by up to 10 % unless the shutdown ends.
The move comes amid rising absences among air-traffic controllers—many of whom haven’t been paid since the shutdown began October 1. At some major airports, up to 20–40 % of controllers have failed to report for duty.
Airlines are scrambling to adjust schedules, canceling hundreds of flights in advance to manage the fallout. For example, one estimate suggests up to 1,800 flights and 268,000 airline seats could be eliminated per day under the cuts.
For passengers, especially those planning travel around the busy Thanksgiving holiday period, this means heightened risk of delays and cancellations. One traveler, originally scheduled to fly from Vienna to Philadelphia, said:
“I’m really hoping my flights don’t get canceled.”
In short — unless the shutdown ends soon, U.S. airport operations are on track for widespread disruption.