U.S. airlines began canceling hundreds of flights on Friday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered reductions due to the ongoing government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history. The cuts were prompted by air traffic controllers missing paychecks, leading to staffing shortages and flight disruptions at several major airports.
Flight Disruptions Across Major Airports
Airports affected included Newark Liberty International (New Jersey), San Francisco International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles. As of 2 p.m. ET on Friday, around 780 flights (about 3% of the daily schedule) were canceled, according to aviation data firm Cirium. While this level of disruption is typical for events like major storms, the FAA warned that cancellations could increase.
FAA’s Staggered Reduction Plan
The FAA ordered airlines to gradually increase flight cuts over the next week:
- Friday: 4%
- Tuesday: 6%
- Thursday: 8%
- November 14: 10%
Friday’s cancellations were the 72nd worst for U.S. flights since January 1, 2024, a period that included major incidents like Southwest Airlines’ Christmas meltdown and Delta’s mass delays after a CrowdStrike outage.
Impact on General Aviation
While general aviation, including private jets, was not initially required to cut flights, the FAA noted staffing shortages could affect private operations. High-impact airports such as Teterboro (NJ), William P. Hobby (Houston), and Dallas Love Field may see up to 10% reductions for private flights. Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association, said the sector is pursuing both mandatory and voluntary measures to mitigate disruptions.
Financial and Travel Impacts
The financial impact on airlines is uncertain. Analyst Scott Group from Wolfe Research noted that while cancellations could increase unit revenue due to fewer available seats, prolonged shutdowns may reduce near-term booking demand. Travel demand ahead of Thanksgiving remains relatively low, but alternatives like rental car bookings surged over 20% compared to last year, according to Hertz.
Senate Republicans rejected a Democrat proposal to reopen the government late Friday, leaving air travel disruptions likely to continue in the near term.
This situation highlights the wide-reaching impact of the federal government shutdown on the U.S. aviation system, affecting both commercial and private flights nationwide.