WASHINGTON — Air travel across the United States is grinding to a near standstill as airlines canceled more than 2,100 flights on Sunday, marking the worst day of disruptions since the federal government shutdown began affecting aviation operations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the shutdown drags on, air traffic could “slow to a trickle” just as millions of Americans prepare to travel for Thanksgiving.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been forced to impose flight reductions at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, after thousands of unpaid air traffic controllers began calling in absent. The FAA cuts, which started at 4% on Friday, are set to expand to 10% by November 14, impacting all commercial airlines from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
The cascading effect of the staffing crisis has been severe. According to FlightAware, more than 7,000 flights were delayed on Sunday, following 1,000 cancellations on Friday and another 1,500 on Saturday. The hardest-hit hub was Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, which recorded more than 570 cancellations, followed by Newark Liberty International Airport with at least 265. The FAA also reported average departure delays of 75 minutes at both Newark and LaGuardia airports due to staffing shortages.
By Sunday morning, Detroit Metropolitan Airport appeared almost deserted, with empty gates and sparse security lines as cancellations dominated departure boards. “We’ve reached the point where air travel is unsustainable without pay for controllers,” Duffy said during an interview on Fox News Sunday. He added that if the shutdown continues, flight reductions could double to 20%, leading to “massive disruption” during the holiday rush.
The secretary described the situation as worsening daily: “With very few controllers working, you’ll have a few flights taking off and landing — and thousands canceled. It doesn’t get better. It gets worse until they’re paid.”
The FAA’s long-standing controller shortage — compounded by retirements — has been aggravated by the shutdown. Duffy said as many as 15 to 20 controllers a day are now choosing to retire early, accelerating the crisis. He acknowledged that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had offered to lend military air traffic controllers, though it remains uncertain whether they can legally or safely operate civilian systems.
Rejecting opposition claims that the cancellations were politically motivated, Duffy defended the drastic measures as a matter of safety. “I needed to take action to keep people safe. I’m doing what I can in a mess that Democrats have put in my lap,” he said.
Industry groups are sounding the alarm as well. Airlines for America, representing major U.S. carriers, said staffing-related air traffic delays totaled over 3,000 hours on Saturday, the worst since the shutdown began, accounting for 71% of total delay time. From October 1 to November 7, the controller shortage has already disrupted travel for more than 4 million passengers.
With Thanksgiving less than two weeks away, Duffy’s warning is stark: unless the shutdown ends soon, Americans could face an unprecedented breakdown in the nation’s air travel system — leaving millions stranded and frustrated at airports from coast to coast.