Flight cancellations and delays worsen as government shutdown drags on

"U.S. airlines canceled more than 1,500 flights Saturday and more than 2,900 Sunday to comply with an FAA order to reduce traffic as some air traffic controllers, who have gone unpaid for nearly a month, have stopped showing up for work. As of early Monday, airlines had already canceled nearly 1,600 flights for Monday and nearly 1,000 for Tuesday. The Senate took a first step toward ending the shutdown Sunday,"

"The delays and cancellations are likely to get worse as airlines are increasingly unable to reposition planes, pilots and flight attendants due to the air traffic controller shortage. The FAA implemented a 4% mandatory reduction in flights this weekend to manage staffing. That will increase to 6% on Tuesday and 10% reduction by this upcoming weekend. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on "Fox News Sunday" that additional flight cuts of up to 20% might be needed."

"Many airports are facing significant delays for flights that haven't been canceled as well, with airports in Newark, Orlando, Chicago and Detroit all facing departure delays of more than an hour and increasing, according to FlightAware. This is the second pay period that air traffic controllers have not received any pay for their work. The head of the air traffic controllers union, Nick Daniels, will hold a press conference Monday morning to address the impact the shutdown is having on them."

Airlines canceled thousands of flights after the FAA ordered traffic reductions because some air traffic controllers stopped showing up due to missed pay. More than 1,500 flights were canceled Saturday, more than 2,900 Sunday, and nearly 1,600 and 1,000 were canceled for Monday and Tuesday respectively. Airports including Newark, Orlando, Chicago and Detroit reported departure delays exceeding an hour. The FAA imposed a 4% mandatory reduction that will rise to 6% on Tuesday and 10% by the upcoming weekend, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned cuts could reach 20%. This is the second unpaid pay period for controllers and the union plans a press conference. The Senate advanced a measure to end the shutdown, but final passage could take days and normal operations may lag after reopening.

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