Airport Chaos to Persist Post-Government Shutdown, Warns Aviation Expert Duffy

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NEW YORK – As the government shutdown appears to be drawing to a close, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has cautioned that the chaos gripping airports across the nation is unlikely to ease immediately.

“Once the shutdown ends, it won’t be an instant fix for air traffic,” Duffy explained. “Bringing more air traffic controllers back on board to manage the skies will be a challenging process, so travelers can expect delays to persist long after the government resumes operations.”

Air traffic cuts to hit 10% by Friday

On Monday morning, FlightAware reported over 1,000 flight delays affecting travel within, into, or out of the United States, alongside more than 1,500 flight cancellations. The situation was even more dire on Sunday, with over 10,000 delays and upwards of 3,200 cancellations.

In response to the ongoing issues, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a 4% reduction in daily flights last week. This figure is projected to increase to 6% by Tuesday at the 40 busiest airports across the country.

Duffy also highlighted the concerning trend of air traffic controllers retiring at a rate of 15 to 20 each day during the shutdown, further complicating efforts to alleviate the travel disruptions.

“Hoooo boy. This is bad,” the company posted on social media. “More than 50 percent of flights will be cancelled or seriously delayed… which wrecks tomorrow too. We just tipped into total chaos.”

Air traffic controllers and security screeners have not received paychecks in weeks, and if the shutdown continues, the FAA has warned flight reductions could reach 8% by Thursday and 10% by Friday.

Air travel slows to a crawl amid shutdown

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Duffy said travelers are already experiencing travel chaos.

Passengers nationwide have reported travel nightmares, including one father and son who missed a family celebration after learning their flight had been canceled while standing in the TSA line.

“We pulled up our boarding passes, and it literally said that the flight was canceled,” said Joe Ferri, who was traveling to celebrate his grandmother’s 98th birthday. “We checked it all the way up until we were walking up the escalators. People need to be paid. We need to get where we’re going. You’re shutting down the entire country, not just the government.”

Analysts warn of holiday travel meltdown

Currently, flights are less full than they’ll be in just a few weeks. However, once the holiday rush begins, analysts have warned there won’t be enough seats or schedule flexibility to absorb the growing backups.

Airlines and airports have urged travelers to check their flight status frequently, be patient, and have a backup plan, whether that’s another flight or a car rental.

Many travelers are already panicking, with some rebooking multiple times and others driving cross-country to get back home. 

If the shutdown isn’t resolved soon, experts have warned the situation could snowball into the most significant holiday travel meltdown in a decade.