Planes line up on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on November 10, 2025.
Spencer Pratt | Getty Images
southwest airlines on Friday cut its 2025 revenue forecast, citing a drop in demand due to the longest federal government shutdown in history.
The company said it expects profit before interest and taxes to be about $500 million in 2025, down from its previous forecast of $600 million to $800 million, due to lower revenue from the grounding and higher fuel prices.
“Reservations have returned to previous expectations following a temporary decrease in demand related to the shutdown,” Southwest Airlines said in a securities filing.
Earlier this week, delta airlines It said the impasse had resulted in a loss of $200 million, but added that demand looked solid heading into 2026.
The closure disrupted travel as the shortage of air traffic controllers worsened nationwide. Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees required to work during the shutdown, which lasted more than 40 days, even though they did not receive regular paychecks.
The Trump administration has asked airlines to adjust schedules and cancel flights, saying the shutdown has increased pressure on air traffic controllers. However, there were days when disruptions exceeded the necessary reductions.
