OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:02 PM – Friday, November 7, 2025
In an escalation of the federal government’s record-breaking shutdown, now in its 38th day, airlines throughout the U.S. have canceled over 840 flights as mandated reductions in air traffic took effect at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), citing severe staffing shortages among unpaid air traffic controllers, ordered carriers to slash domestic operations by an initial 4% starting at 6 a.m. ET— a figure set to climb incrementally to 10% by November 14th if lawmakers fail to break the budget impasse.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking to reporters at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), defended the phased approach as a “data-driven safety measure” recommended by FAA experts. He also insisted that his number one job is safety and that the matter doesn’t involve politics, though he still pointed toward Democrats for prolonging the stalemate over social program protections for illegals.
In another warning later in the day, Duffy floated the possibility of even steeper cuts — up to 15% or 20%–if controller absenteeism worsens, potentially grounding thousands more flights and threatening Thanksgiving reunions for Americans throughout the nation.
The shutdown has furloughed over 800,000 federal workers and forced air traffic controllers, in addition to TSA screeners, to work without paychecks.
The FAA’s emergency order, released on Thursday evening, targeted “high-volume markets” spanning 27 states and D.C., sparing international flights to minimize global ripple effects. Reductions kicked off at 4%, rising to 6% on Tuesday, 8% on Thursday, and capping at 10% on Friday.
Major carriers scrambled to comply, focusing cuts on short-haul domestic routes while offering refunds and fee waivers for affected passengers. Overall, the 840+ cancellations represent about 3% of the day’s 25,000+ scheduled U.S. flights, according to FlightAware data – and although it is limited for now, analysts say there could be a noticeable impact as cuts deepen.
At O’Hare (ORD) and Newark (EWR), delays averaged 45 minutes by noon, while TSA lines at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) have stretched over an hour.
The 40 impacted airports include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Los Angeles International (LAX), John F. Kennedy (JFK), Reagan National (DCA), Denver (DEN), Miami (MIA), Newark Liberty (EWR), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), and Orlando (MCO), among others.
Ripple effects could later hit smaller destinations as connecting flights vanish. While Thanksgiving bookings surge — as it is typically the year’s busiest travel window — the pressure builds with all eyes on Capitol Hill.
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