Over 1,700 Flights Canceled Across U.S. Amid FAA Staffing Crisis, Government Shutdown

Washington — Travel chaos gripped the United States over the weekend as more than 1,700 flights were canceled and thousands delayed, amid deepening Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staffing shortages tied to the ongoing government shutdown, CNN reported.

Citing data from FlightAware, CNN said over 1,500 flights were canceled and 6,600 delayed on Saturday, with an additional 1,000 cancellations on Sunday. The FAA attributed the disruption to staff shortfalls, as air traffic controllers and federal security screeners continued to miss paychecks during the budget impasse.

Major Airports Hit Hard

The country’s busiest airports, New York’s JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty, faced hours-long delays, prompting the FAA to temporarily halt incoming flights to Newark after arrival delays exceeded four hours. Departures from LaGuardia were delayed up to 75 minutes, while flights to and from JFK averaged two-hour delays.

Elsewhere, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport saw arrival delays approaching five and a half hours, and Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport reported nearly 80 flight cancellations on Friday and half of all arrivals delayed.

Major hubs in Chicago, Denver, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, and Orlando also reported widespread disruptions. Internationally, airports including Amsterdam’s Schiphol, Toronto Pearson, and Tokyo Haneda faced double-digit cancellations linked to U.S. airspace delays.

FAA Reductions and Worsening Outlook

The FAA last week ordered airlines to cut domestic flights by 4 per cent at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, a measure officials said was necessary to uphold safety amid the staffing shortfall. The reduction has failed to prevent cascading delays, with further cuts expected if the shutdown persists.

According to FAA projections cited by CNN, mandatory flight reductions will escalate to 6 per cent by Tuesday, 8 per cent by Thursday, and 10 per cent by next Friday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News the number could rise to 15–20 per cent if Congress does not end the standoff soon.

Former FAA Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell called the situation “uncharted territory,” warning that prolonged disruption could cripple air travel through the Thanksgiving holiday period if the shutdown continues.