Over 800 Flights Canceled Across the US Amid Government Deadlock
Travelers faced significant delays and rushed to find alternatives, threatening holiday travel plans and disrupting nationwide air connectivity. On Friday, hundreds of flights across the United States were canceled after the Trump administration ordered cutbacks to ease pressure on air traffic controllers working without pay because of congressional budget deadlock.
Airports Affected by Slowdowns
Forty airports, including major hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles, were expected to experience slowdowns. This reduction in operations reflected the growing strain on aviation infrastructure as the government shutdown continued.
Congressional Deadlock Halts Funding
With Republicans and Democrats locked in a bitter dispute over spending priorities, including healthcare, Congress has stalled, shutting off federal funding. As a result, many government employees, including critical airport personnel, are either working without pay or furloughed at home, awaiting resolution to the nearly six-week crisis.
Flight Cancellations Increasing
The full scale of the impact was still unfolding early on Friday, with flight reductions starting gradually at 4% and expected to reach 10% next week if no budget agreement is reached.
- More than 800 flights scheduled for Friday were canceled, surpassing cancellations from the previous three days combined, according to FlightAware.
- Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that 3% of US flights had been canceled at that point.
"Forty airports were due to slow down, including the giant hubs in Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles."
"With Republicans and Democrats in a bitter stand-off over spending priorities, including over healthcare, Congress has ground to a standstill, leaving the entire federal funding spigot closed."
"More than 800 flights scheduled for Friday were cancelled, according to tracking website FlightAware, which would be more than the previous three days combined."
Summary: The prolonged government funding impasse forced major US airports to reduce flight operations, causing over 800 cancellations in one day and significantly disrupting holiday air travel nationwide.