(UNITED STATES) Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Friday that airport disruptions triggered by the federal government shutdown will continue for weeks after any deal to reopen agencies. He said delays, cancellations, and staffing gaps are already straining the nation’s busiest hubs. “The end of the government shutdown may be in sight, but the nationwide airport gridlock won’t disappear overnight. We’re looking at weeks, not days, before normal operations resume,” Duffy said, outlining a recovery timeline that stretches well beyond the immediate crisis for millions of travelers across the United States 🇺🇸.
FAA orders and capacity caps
The warning came as the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it had already ordered reductions in scheduled air traffic. As of November 7, 2025, the FAA ordered a 4% cut in operations at 40 major airports, with plans to escalate to 10% if Congress fails to reach a funding deal.
- The FAA orders target major hubs including Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles International, Chicago O’Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta, Miami, and the Washington-area airports.
- “Unless a deal to end the federal government shutdown is reached, a 10 percent reduction in scheduled air traffic at 40 major airports will begin Friday,” Duffy said.
- He added that if the shutdown continues, travel could be “reduced to a trickle” ahead of Thanksgiving.
Officials say the 4% cut is intended to smooth traffic flows and reduce last-minute ground stops, while a 10% cap would be triggered if staffing and funding issues persist. Secondary hubs—Boston, Seattle, Denver, Orlando, and Salt Lake City—are also experiencing longer queues and rolling delays as aircraft and crews become stranded out of position.
Immediate operational impact
The effect is visible across terminals and departure boards.
- Over 14,900 flights were delayed and more than 450 canceled in a single week, according to industry data shared by officials.
- Newark logged 1,237 delays and Chicago O’Hare 1,196, creating severe pressure on connections and crew rotations.
- Airlines including United, Southwest, and Delta began canceling hundreds of flights each day, especially on regional routes with limited scheduling flexibility.
- American Airlines cut about 4% of its daily schedule at the affected airports—roughly 220 flights per day.
- Delta canceled 170 U.S. flights on Friday, November 7.
These rolling schedule changes are designed to match reduced air traffic capacity and avoid day-of chaos that can ripple across networks for days.
Staffing strain and safety messaging
Staffing shortfalls are at the core of the problem.
- Roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents are working without pay.
- Absenteeism exceeds 30% at some locations as employees pick up second jobs or stay home because they can’t afford childcare.
- The FAA entered the shutdown already short about 3,500 controllers, forcing mandatory overtime and six-day workweeks.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency “would not hesitate to take further action to make sure air travel remains safe,” signaling that deeper capacity cuts are possible if staffing thins further. Duffy reiterated the safety message: “It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week,” but he warned the system is under unprecedented strain and recovery will be slow.
Important: Officials stress safety is the priority, but continued staffing shortages could prompt additional limits on operations.
Passenger experience at airports
Terminal conditions reflect the operational metrics.
- Average security wait times have stretched to about two hours and 20 minutes.
- Some travelers have faced delays up to seven hours at the largest airports.
- CNN correspondent Jason Carroll, reporting live from Newark International Airport, described “thousands standing in lines” and constant missed-connection announcements as people sought rebooking options.
A tightly scheduled hub can quickly cascade: a single late arrival can topple a day’s worth of departures, and maintenance crews struggle to service aircraft that sit out of position.
Broader industry effects and recovery timeline
Industry leaders are urging Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government, warning each day of shutdown adds backlogs for training, hiring, and maintenance.
Key points on recovery and carrier actions:
- Carriers are trimming schedules to protect core routes while cutting frequencies on less-flexible services.
- Analysis by VisaVerge.com indicates it will likely take weeks, not days, to rebuild stable schedules and restore crew availability even after funding resumes.
- Controllers in training must make up missed simulator time; certification checks and routine maintenance delayed during the shutdown must be rescheduled.
Airlines are taking a triage approach—protecting high-demand routes but leaving customers in smaller cities with a disproportionate share of cancellations.
Human and economic toll
The shutdown’s impact extends beyond missed vacations.
- Airlines estimate at least 3.2 million travelers have been delayed during the shutdown period so far.
- Business trips have been canceled, medical travel disrupted, and family events missed.
- Night arrivals often face limited rebooking options and scarce hotel vouchers.
- Early-morning departures now require earlier arrival times to clear security.
For working parents and people on fixed budgets, extra hours and unexpected costs compound quickly. Airport employees—many hourly workers—face changing shifts, reduced hours, and heightened stress amid longer commutes and crowded terminals.
Coordination and political context
The Department of Transportation is coordinating daily with the FAA and airports to keep essential operations running and target support where backups are worst. Duffy acknowledged recovery will be uneven even after a funding deal:
- Federal workers must receive pay and return to normal schedules.
- Training classes need to resume and make up lost time.
- Certification checks and delayed maintenance must be completed.
Airline executives and airport directors have urged lawmakers—privately and publicly—to restore funding, warning each additional day deepens the cleanup effort. They note that crews timed out during long ground delays can trigger new cancellations and that sustained controller shortages are the fastest route to system-wide slowdowns. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more likely holiday travel will feel the aftershocks, even if funding resumes beforehand.
Where travelers can get updates
Travelers looking for official advisories and safety information can check the Federal Aviation Administration: https://www.faa.gov.
The message from Washington emphasizes safety first, but the operational reality points to a drawn-out reset. The FAA’s current orders aim to keep flights safe at lower staffing levels; if staffing doesn’t improve quickly, the caps will remain and schedules will continue to be constrained. For passengers, expect more crowded terminals, tighter rebooking windows, and a longer wait for the system to return to normal.
This Article in a Nutshell
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that airport disruptions caused by the federal shutdown will persist for weeks after agencies reopen. The FAA ordered a 4% cut in operations at 40 major airports on Nov. 7, 2025, with a 10% cap ready if funding stalls. Over 14,900 flights were delayed and 450+ canceled in a week as staffing gaps—about 13,000 controllers and 50,000 unpaid TSA agents—strain hubs like Newark, JFK, LAX and O’Hare. Recovery depends on resumed funding, resumed training, and rescheduled maintenance.
