U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,700 flights on Sunday as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic across the nation would “slow to a trickle” if the federal government shutdown continued into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season.
The slowdown at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports began causing more widespread disruptions in its third day. The FAA last week ordered flight cuts at the nation’s busiest airports as some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have stopped reporting for work.
Additionally, nearly 10,000 flight delays were reported on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions. More than 1,000 flights were canceled Friday, and more than 1,500 on Saturday.
The FAA reductions started Friday at 4% and were set to increase to 10% by 14 November. They remain in effect from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time and will impact all commercial airlines.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta stood to have the most cancellations Sunday, followed by Chicago O’Hare International, where wintry weather threatened. In Georgia, weather could also be a factor, with the National Weather Service office in Atlanta warning of widespread freezing conditions through Tuesday.
Traveller Kyra March finally arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson on Sunday after a series of postponements the day before.
“I was coming from Tampa and that flight got delayed, delayed, delayed. Then it was canceled and then rebooked. And so I had to stay at a hotel and then came back this morning,” she stated.
The FAA reported staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardia Airport in New York were leading to average departure delays of approximately 75 minutes.
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Michigan was mostly empty Sunday morning, with minimal wait times at security checkpoints as delays and cancellations filled the departures and arrivals boards.
Earlier Sunday, Duffy warned that U.S. air traffic could decline significantly if the shutdown persisted. He indicated additional flight cuts, perhaps up to 20%, might be needed, particularly if controllers receive no pay for a second straight pay period.
“More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheck,” Duffy told Fox News Sunday.
And he prepared Americans for what they could face during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
“As I look two weeks out, as we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy stated.
With “very few” controllers working, “you’ll have a few flights taking off and landing” and thousands of cancellations, he said.
“You’re going to have massive disruption. I think a lot of angry Americans. I think we have to be honest about where this is going. It doesn’t get better,” Duffy said. “It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”
The government has been short of air traffic controllers for years, and multiple presidential administrations have tried to convince retirement-age controllers to remain on the job. Duffy indicated the shutdown has exacerbated the problem, leading some air traffic controllers to accelerate their retirements.
“Up to 15 or 20 a day are retiring,” Duffy said on CNN.
Duffy stated Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth texted him with an offer to lend military air traffic controllers, but it remains unclear whether the staff is certified to work on civilian systems.
Duffy denied Democratic charges that the flight cancellations are a political tactic, stating they were necessary due to increasing near-misses from an overtaxed system.
“I needed to take action to keep people safe,” Duffy said. “I’m doing what I can in a mess that Democrats have put in my lap.”
Airlines for America, a trade group representing U.S. carriers, reported air traffic control staffing-related delays exceeded 3,000 hours on Saturday, the highest of the shutdown, and that staffing problems contributed to 71% of delay time.
From 1 October to 7 November, controller shortages have disrupted more than 4 million passengers on U.S. carriers, according to Airlines for America.
The cascading effects of unpaid air traffic controllers now ripple through the entire aviation system, affecting millions of travellers and creating economic consequences that extend far beyond missed flights. The situation has evolved from an abstract labour dispute into a tangible crisis disrupting daily life for countless Americans.
The 2,700 cancellations on Sunday alone represent a substantial portion of daily U.S. flight operations. On typical days, American airlines operate approximately 25,000 to 30,000 flights, meaning Sunday’s cancellations affected roughly 10% of scheduled service. This percentage will increase as FAA-mandated cuts escalate to their planned 10% level, with potential for even deeper reductions.
The distinction between cancellations and delays creates different challenges for passengers. Canceled flights force complete rebooking, often pushing travellers to flights days later during peak periods when aircraft are already full. Delays create uncertainty about connections, accommodations, and scheduling at destinations whilst leaving passengers waiting in airports for hours.
The nearly 10,000 delays Sunday compound cancellation problems. Passengers who avoided canceled flights still faced extended waits, missed connections, and cascading schedule disruptions as delayed aircraft arrived late for subsequent flights. These ripple effects mean a morning delay can impact evening operations.
