Nationwide flight chaos in the U.S. as FAA limits operations amid government shutdown

More than 900 flights were cancelled across the United States on Saturday, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continued to limit flight capacity at 40 major airports due to staffing shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown.

As of 12:25 ET, 902 flights had already been cancelled, a number expected to surpass Friday’s total of 1,024. The FAA has implemented flight reductions of up to 10% at key airports nationwide, while delays continue to ripple through the air travel network.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that further cuts may be needed if air traffic controllers continue to call out sick, noting that the Department of Transportation could soon ask airlines to cancel more than 10% of their scheduled flights.

To ease congestion, the FAA has requested private jet operators to avoid the affected airports, though not prohibited them. Duffy said operators have been “cooperative” and are rerouting flights to alternate airfields.

Despite the sweeping domestic disruptions, the FAA confirmed that no international flights will be cut, citing binding international aviation agreements. Duffy explained that cancelling overseas routes could prompt reciprocal action from other countries and harm long-term U.S. air travel access.

The ongoing cancellations mark the largest air travel disruption since the shutdown began over a month ago, as the nation’s aviation system continues to strain under the prolonged political deadlock.