Washington, Nov 8
Airlines across the United States cancelled hundreds of flights as the continuing government shutdown deepened strains on the nation’s air travel system.

As of midday Friday, some 780 flights or roughly 3 per cent of the 25,000 scheduled nationwide had been cancelled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Cancellations could accelerate sharply in the coming days as more air traffic controllers are forced to seek other employment due to unpaid work.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that flight reductions could surge to as much as 20 per cent by the Thanksgiving holiday if the crisis persists.

“If this continues, and I have more controllers who decide they can’t come to work and control the airspace, but instead have to take a second job, with that, you might see 10 per cent would have been a good number, because we might go to 15 per cent or 20 per cent,” Duffy said in an interview with Fox News. “This is a moment-by-moment assessment,” he added. “We’re doing all we can to make sure travellers are safe as they move through the airspace.”

Air traffic controllers, designated as essential workers, are required to work even without pay.

For now, the Department of Transportation has implemented a tiered reduction plan that will raise mandated flight cuts to 6 per cent on Tuesday, 8 per cent on Thursday, and 10 per cent next Friday.

Among US carriers, American Airlines said it expects to cancel about 220 flights a day through the weekend. Delta cancelled 173 flights, while United cut 184 flights.

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, travellers faced significant delays on Friday, with average wait times reaching four hours, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory.

Airport officials urged passengers to check flight status frequently and prepare for longer waits, as disruptions appeared likely to worsen heading into the busy holiday travel season.

Over 700 flights cancelled in US as government shutdown drags on