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A2 U.s. news
Monday 10 noveMber 2025
Thanksgiving air traffic could 'slow to a trickle' if shutdown persists,

transport secretary says

WASHINGTON (AP) — Air On Sunday, more than
traffic in the U.S. could 1,700 flights were canceled
"slow to a trickle" if the as of 1:30 p.m. Eastern time
federal government shut- and nearly 5,000 flights
down lingers into the busy were delayed, according
Thanksgiving travel holiday to the aviation tracking
season, Transportation Sec- website FlightAware. That
retary Sean Duffy warned follows more than 1,500
Sunday. cancellations on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Ad- Hartsfield-Jackson Inter-
ministration last week or- national Airport in Atlanta
dered flight cuts at the had the most cancellations
nation's busiest airports as Sunday, with 173, followed
some air traffic controllers, by Newark Liberty Interna-
who have gone unpaid tional Airport in New Jersey,
for nearly a month, have with 115.
stopped showing up for The FAA said staffing short-
work. ages at Newark and La-
The reductions started Fri- Guardia Airport in New York
day at 4% and will increase were leading to average
to 10% by Nov. 14. They departure delays of about
are in effect from 6 a.m. to 75 minutes.
10 p.m. local time and will Detroit Metropolitan Wayne
impact all commercial air- County Airport in Michigan Travelers wait at a video board at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Detroit.
lines. was mostly empty Sunday Associated Press
morning, with minimal wait presidential administrations
times at security check- have tried to convince
points as delays and can- retirement-age controllers
cellations filled the depar- to remain on the job. Duffy
tures and arrivals boards. said the shutdown has ex-
Duffy has said additional acerbated the problem,
flight cuts — perhaps up to leading some air traffic
20% — might be needed, controllers to speed up their
particularly after controllers retirements.
receive no pay for a sec- "Up to 15 or 20 a day are
ond straight pay period. retiring," Duffy said on CNN.
"More controllers aren't Duffy said Defense Secre-
coming to work day by tary Pete Hegseth texted
day, the further they go him with an offer to lend
without a paycheck," Duffy military air traffic controllers,
told "Fox News Sunday." but it's unclear whether the
And he prepared Ameri- staff is certified to work on
cans for what they could civilian systems.
face during the busy Duffy denied Democratic
Thanksgiving holiday. charges that the flight can-
"As I look two weeks out, as cellations are a political
we get closer to Thanksgiv- tactic, saying they were
ing travel, I think what's go- necessary due to increas-
ing to happen is you're go- ing near-misses from an
ing to have air travel slow to overtaxed system.
a trickle as everyone wants "I needed to take action to
to travel to see their fami- keep people safe," Duffy
lies," Duffy said. said. "I'm doing what I can
With "very few" controllers in a mess that Democrats
working, "you'll have a few have put in my lap."
flights taking off and land- Airlines for America, a trade
ing" and thousands of can- group representing U.S.
cellations, he said. carriers, said air traffic con-
"You're going to have mas- trol staffing-related delays
sive disruption. I think a lot exceeded 3,000 hours on
of angry Americans. I think Saturday, the highest of the
we have to be honest shutdown, and that staffing
about where this is going. problems contributed to
It doesn't get better," Duffy 71% of delay time.
said. From Oct. 1 to Nov. 7, con-
"It gets worse until these air troller shortages have dis-
traffic controllers are going rupted more than 4 million
to be paid." passengers on U.S. carriers,
The government has been according to Airlines for
short of air traffic control- America.q
lers for years, and multiple