Govt shutdown forces cancellation of over 5,000 US flights

The ongoing US government shutdown has severely impacted domestic air travel, with more than 5,000 flights cancelled or delayed on Friday (November 7).

At Washington’s Reagan National Airport, flights were delayed by up to four hours, reports BBC.

Staff shortages have affected 40 major airports, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Major carriers such as American, Southwest, and Delta are offering passengers free rebooking and refunds.

ransportation Secretary Sean Duffy said about 4% of flights have been cancelled so far, but the figure could rise to 10% next week if the shutdown continues. The 38-day-long shutdown has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screening officers working without pay, causing widespread absenteeism.

According to flight tracking site FlightAware, as of 7:30pm (EST), over 5,300 flights were delayed. At Reagan Airport, 17% of flights were cancelled and nearly 40% departed late.