US EditionIs It Safe to Fly During the Government Shutdown? Here’s What Aviation Experts Say
Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay, causing increased delays and cancellations that risk safety and financial hardship amid the prolonged shutdown.
- On Sunday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned travelers of rising flight disruptions as October 19 saw more than 8,700 delays and 193 cancellations, with 44% linked to air traffic controller absences.
- The Federal Aviation Administration reported nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks and missed a full paycheck last Tuesday after partial pay last month.
- Staffing data show 3,800 fewer fully certified controllers plus a pre-shutdown shortfall of about 3,000 are causing rolling delays at Los Angeles, Dallas, Washington D.C., Boston, and Atlanta.
- Commercial carriers and airports are providing emergency support while travelers are advised to check flight status and expect longer waits, and commercial airlines urged Congress to pass a continuing resolution.
- Looking toward Q1 2026, airlines are quietly cutting routes, while Airlines for America warns of record holiday travel and local food banks brace for surges of 11,000 people daily and more than 40,000 federal workers affected.
40 Articles
40 Articles
Is it safe to fly during the government shutdown? Here’s what aviation experts say
Air traffic controllers not showing up to work or taking second jobs to make ends meet, coupled with long lines at the airport and delays, understandably heighten the anxieties of some passengers.
The federal government shutdown in the United States has now lasted more than a month and is beginning to hit the air system hard, with thousands of air traffic controllers working without pay, flights delayed at key airports, and passengers facing long lines and cancellations across the country.
Government Shutdown Disrupts Flight Schedules, Clouds Holiday Travel Plans
“It could be a disaster.” Those less-than-reassuring words from Vice President JD Vance last week characterized the potential effects of an ongoing government shutdown on the upcoming holiday travel season. Equally alarmingly, commercial airlines agreed with his assessment, calling on Congress to pass a stop-gap “continuing resolution” to reopen the government and restore funding critical to the industry’s infrastructure. Unfortunately, some ex…
Democrat Shutdown Threatening Airline Safety
Source: Juliana Yamada / Getty Democrat Shutdown Threatening Airline Safety. If air traffic controllers aren’t showing up to work, it will not be safe to fly. It could be an absolute disaster for Thanksgiving travelers without air traffic controllers being paid. Tony Kinnett: We look at the situation regarding the organizations the government works with, of course, the airline CEOs stepping forward and laying the shutdown at Democrats feet, …
Transportation secretary says he doesn't plan to fire air traffic controllers who don't show up for work during shutdown
Flight delays continued at U.S. airports Sunday amid air traffic controller shortages as the government shutdown entered its second month, with Newark airport in New Jersey experiencing delays of two to three hours. New York City’s Emergency Management office said on X that Newark delays often ripple out to the region’s other airports. Travelers flying to, from or through New York “should expect schedule changes, gate holds, and missed connectio…
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