U.S. airlines began canceling hundreds of flights Friday, hours after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered cuts amid a more than month-long government shutdown.
The cuts were ordered after air traffic controllers remain unpaid due to the government shutdown, currently the longest in U.S. history. Air traffic control staffing shortages are disrupting operations at several major U.S. airports, troubling both travelers and airline executives.
On Friday, a shortage of air traffic controllers caused flight delays at several major U.S. airports, including New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport, San Francisco International Airport and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
This week’s sudden reduction in flights left airlines scrambling to adjust schedules and staff staff despite last-minute changes.
As of 2 p.m. ET on Friday, about 780 U.S. flights were canceled, representing about 3% of the day’s total schedule, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Disruptions of this scale are fairly common during routine disruptions such as major thunderstorms, but the Department for Transport warned that cancellations could increase.
Travelers wait in line at the security checkpoint at O’Hare International Airport on November 7, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Kamil Krzaczynski | AFP | Getty Images
Flight reductions will increase to 10% over the next week, starting at 4% on Friday, 6% by Tuesday, 8% by Thursday, and finally 10% on Nov. 14, according to the FAA’s order.
Friday’s cancellation level was the 72nd worst for the U.S. airline market since Jan. 1, 2024, according to Cirium. This period also included Southwest Airlines’ Christmas meltdown due to bad weather and significant delays on U.S. time. delta airlines Following the CrowdStrike technical failure last summer.
While the FAA required airlines to make cuts, the general aviation sector, which includes private jets, was not required to make similar large-scale cuts. But the order says staffing shortages could impact general aviation, with airports designated by the agency as “high impact” such as Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport in Texas, and Dallas’ Love Field in Texas, potentially facing reductions of up to 10% in commercial flights.
The FAA did not respond to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for the National Business Aviation Association said the airline industry is also affected by air traffic shortages and reduced capacity, and airports may refuse to allow some aircraft to land.
“Our sector will continue to pursue mandatory and voluntary measures to ensure we are part of the solution to the challenges posed by the current environment,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
The economic impact of the recent disruptions is not immediately clear. Scott Group, an airline analyst at Wolfe Research, said in a note Friday that cancellations could boost airline unit revenues as customers compete for fewer seats. “However, we also believe extended closures and widespread cancellations will impact booking demand in the near term.”
The cuts came at a time when travel demand is generally low ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, but it still left many travelers looking for alternatives. rental car company hertz It said bookings for one-way rentals in the past two days have jumped more than 20% compared to the same period last year.
Major network airlines said the disruption was mainly concentrated on regional flights to smaller cities. united airlinesFor example, the company said the order will not cancel interhub flights or long-haul international flights.
american airlinesMeanwhile, the airline said it was limiting disruption to customers by avoiding reducing flights on routes that only fly once or twice a day. Instead, the airline is cutting back on daily flights from high-frequency markets, including reducing daily departures between hubs Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Northwest Arkansas National Airport from 10 to eight, and between Boston Logan International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport from 10 to nine.
The airline canceled 221 flights on Friday and said it was “frustrated” by the reductions, Chief Executive Officer Robert Isom said.
Isom said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the airline is working to ensure flights continue to operate to all destinations, but the frequency of those flight routes has been reduced.
“What we did today is we tried to minimize the impact on all of our customers. We only had 220 out of 6,200 flights, but we did it in a way that really impacted our small aircraft,” Isom said. “This level of cancellation is going to increase over time and it’s going to be a problem.”
What passengers need to know
The airline offered travelers alternative flights and waived change fees for affected customers.
Experts recommend checking your airline’s app or website and checking your travel insurance details to stay informed of schedule changes.
AAA spokeswoman Aisha Diaz, who recommends arriving at the airport two hours early to avoid long lines and, if possible, checking in baggage in case your flight is cancelled, said flexibility is paramount for all travelers during this period.
Travel insurance experts warn that policies do not always provide comprehensive protection against changes due to groundings, and that refunds are often based on the specific basis used by the airline to determine the cause of the delay or cancellation.
Loren McCormick, a spokeswoman for travel insurance platform SquareMath, said airlines may not cite reasons other than general delays even during a grounding, which can make refunds difficult. Some credit cards come with travel insurance, but it’s not guaranteed.
Following are the areas where flight reductions are expected due to FAA and DOT orders:
Affected airports:
ANC – Anchorage International ATL – Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International BOS – Boston Logan International BWI – Baltimore/Washington International CLT – Charlotte Douglas International CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International DAL – Dallas Love DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National DEN – Denver International DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County EWR – Newark Liberty International FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International HNL – Honolulu International HOU – Houston Hobby IAD – Washington Dulles International IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental IND – Indianapolis International JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International LAX – Los Angeles International LGA – New York LaGuardia MCO – Orlando International MDW – Chicago Midway MEM – Memphis International MIA – Miami International MSP – Minneapolis/St. Paul International OAK – Oakland International ONT – Ontario International ORD – Chicago O’Hare International PDX – Portland International PHL – Philadelphia International PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International SAN – San Diego International SDF – Louisville International SEA – Seattle/Tacoma International SFO – San Francisco International SLC – Salt Lake City International TEB – Teterboro TPA – Tampa International
(Las Vegas’ airport was renamed Harry Reid International Airport in 2021.)
—CNBC’s Greg Iacurci contributed to this report.
