US Aviation in Crisis as Shutdown Enters 40th Day
The ongoing shutdown of the United States federal government, which began on October 1, 2025, has now reached a critical 40-day mark, causing severe disruption to the nation's air travel system. On Sunday, November 9, 2025, the flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that more than 2,000 flights were canceled and over 8,000 were delayed across the country.
Staffing Shortages Force Drastic Measures
The crisis has been escalating since a mandated flight reduction policy from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took effect on Friday, November 7. The policy was implemented to address critical safety risks arising from a shortage of air traffic controllers. The number of controllers taking unpaid leave has steadily increased since the shutdown began, forcing the remaining staff to work excessive overtime.
The data shows a sharp rise in cancellations immediately after the policy was activated. The number of canceled flights jumped from 202 on Thursday to 1,025 on Friday, and then surged again to 1,566 on Saturday. In response to the growing staffing crisis, the US Department of Transportation and the FAA have ordered a 10 percent capacity cut at 40 major airports nationwide.
Thanksgiving Travel and Economy at Risk
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stark warning during a CNN interview on Sunday. He stated that the situation is poised to deteriorate significantly, predicting that air travel will be reduced to a trickle in the two weeks leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
The economic implications are equally grave. On the same day, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CBS that if Americans are unable to travel for Thanksgiving, the United States could be looking at a negative quarter for the fourth quarter of 2025. This highlights how the aviation gridlock could tip the nation's economy into a contraction.
