Travelers across the United States faced yet another day of chaos on Sunday as thousands of flights delayed or canceled due to the ongoing government shutdown.
According to FlightAware, more than 6,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. had been delayed by 3 p.m. ET, with over 1,800 cancellations.
Thousands of Travelers Stranded by Ongoing Government Shutdown
The cancellations mark the third consecutive day of government-mandated flight cuts that began on November 7. “It’s only going to get worse,” warned Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in an interview with CNN. “If the shutdown continues, air travel could slow to a trickle as the busy holiday season approaches.”
The Department of Transportation (DOT) initially ordered airlines to reduce flight schedules by 4% at 40 major airports, with additional cuts planned — 6% by November 11, 8% by November 13, and 10% by November 14.
Flight Reductions Expand as Shutdown Persists
Duffy said reductions could reach as high as 15% to 20% if the shutdown persists.
