Airports across America are grinding to a halt with delays mounting and more than 1,000 flights cancelled this morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide took effect this morning as the longest government shutdown in US history continues.
The FAA said the reductions would start at 4 percent today and ramp up to 10 percent by Friday next week. The reductions will impact all commercial air carriers.
Airlines scrambled to meet travels demands and began canceling flights overnight in anticipation of the FAA’s order, leaving some passengers anxious to learn whether their trips will go forward at all.
The FAA cutback will impact 40 airports nationwide including in airline hubs such as Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles and Charlotte, as well as major metropolitan areas like New York, Houston, Chicago and Washington DC.
More than 1,100 flights were called off before 8am today, according to the latest flight tracking data. More than 9,800 delays have also been recorded.
Flight cancellations hit 1,100 before workday even begins
More than 1,100 flights have been called off before 7.30am this morning as the Federal Aviation Administration’s flight cutback order went into effect.
Over 9,800 delays have also been recorded.
Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Denver and LAX are among the hardest hit airports this morning, with all recording cancellation rates of 3 percent.
Air traffic controllers receive $0 paycheck and are expected to keep work thoughout shutdown
Air traffic controllers have been working without pay for more than a month and are now about to miss their first biweekly paycheck.
Controllers are expected to receive $0 paychecks for the work they completed during the shutdown. This comes after their last check only covered 90 percent of their total pay.
Air traffic controllers are considered essential workers and have been ordered to work without pay throughout the shutdown.
Many are pulling six-day work weeks with mandatory overtime, and increasing numbers of them have begun calling out as the financial strain and exhaustion mount.
Some have even been forced to pick up second jobs just to make ends meet.
‘My financial obligations were mounting. I wanted to get ahead of the situation. The writing was on the wall,’ air traffic control specialist Jack Criss told NBC News.
Criss is now driving for DoorDash.
Which airport has been most impacted by the FAA cutbacks?
Close to 80 flights have already been canceled this morning at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
O’Hare has currently recorded largest number of cancellations in the country, as of 8.45am. The airport is a hub for United Airlines.
Travelers have been waiting in long lines at security checkpoints, including at the designated TSA precheck queue.
Travelers are advised to give afford themselves extra time at the airport during the FAA cutbacks.
United posts cancellations webpage amid schedule reductions
United Airlines has published a list of all its mandated flight cancellations though Sunday. They can be viewed on a special website.
The airline is offering refunds to any passengers who do not want to fly amid the FAA cutbacks
United did note that about half of its impacted customers have been able to be rebook flights within four hours of their original departure time.
White House prepares to slash 10% of departures from 40 biggest airports
The Federal Aviation Administration is reducing air traffic to maintain travel safety as air traffic controllers exhibit signs of strain amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Experts predict the cutback could represent as many as 1,800 flights a day and upwards of 268,000 seats combined.
Airlines have already started warning customers that their travel plans are likely to be impacted by the flight reductions.
JD Vance warns of ‘aviation emergency’
Vice President JD Vance warned that the government shutdown will lead to an ‘aviation emergency.’
Writing on X, he said, ‘What the Democrats are doing on the government shutdown is genuinely unprecedented, and while the administration has shielded the American people from the worst of the consequences, all of this is coming, and soon:
‘An aviation emergency that will lead to significant travel delays for all Americans. Food stamp and other assistance programs running out for needy Americans. Great strains on our military and national security.
‘The shutdown has now passed from farce into tragedy, and the consequences of this national emergency fall on every senator and congressman who refuses to open the government.’
Chaos grips US airports as FAA cancels thousands of flights
Thousands of flights have been canceled across the United States after the Trump administration ordered reductions to ease strain on air traffic controllers amid the longest government shutdown in US history.
Flight reductions due to take effect gradually, starting at four percent this and rising to 10 percent next week if Congress still doesn’t reach a funding deal.
What does this mean for you? The Daily Mail explains:
Travel chaos erupts at America’s busiest airport
Passengers travelling through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport are being met with major cancellations and delays this morning.
The Atlanta airport is the busiest in the country by passenger traffic and number of flights.
As of 8.15am this morning, Hartsfield-Jackson had recorded 77 cancellations and 64 delays. The disruptions were split between scheduled departures and arrivals.
Daily Mail was at the airport this morning and witnessed long queues at the check-in and security gates.
SkyWest ranks worst for cancellations after slashing over 170 flights
SkyWest has recorded the largest number of flight cancellations this morning, according to the latest data from FlightAware.
The airline operates four major carriers including American, Alaska, Delta and United.
As of 8am, SkyWest has already canceled 172 flights today, accounting for 6 percent of its routes. Forty flights have been delayed.
12:56
Top cosmetic surgeon to drive to Utah after flight was canceled overnight
A top cosmetic surgeon is driving will be driving from New York City to Utah after her flight got canceled and rebooked overnight.
Karen Soika arrived at Newark airport this morning, only to find out that she would not be flying today.
She has opted to rent a car and drive roughly 2,100 miles so she can make it to Utah by Tuesday.
‘From what I hear with the counters, the airline counters and TSA, they literally said to me: “lf I were you, I wouldn’t travel over the next three days’,” Karen Soika told CNN.
She added that she suspects the cancellations and delays are only going to get worse as the FAA increases its flight reductions from 4 percent to 10 percent by next week.
What compensation am I entitled to if my flight gets canceled?
Air carriers are required to refund customers whose flights are canceled, according to the Department of Transportation
However, they are not required to cover secondary costs such as food and hotel accommodations unless a delay or cancellation results from a contributing factor that is within the control of the airlines.
United, Southwest and American all said they will try to minimize the impact on consumers as they cut their schedules to comply with the order.
Some air carriers are even offering all travelers – including those with non-refundable tickets – the option to voluntarily cancel their trip and receive a refund.
Pictured: Passengers travel through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on November 7, 2025
12:39
Flights slashed by 4% this morning as FAA warns numbers will rise
The Federal Aviation Administration issued an order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown.
The order took effect this morning at 40 airports nationwide, spanning more than two dozen states and including airports that serve as hubs for major airlines.
Reductions began at 4 percent and will ramp up to 10 percent by November 14.
Airlines have said they will try to minimize impact on customers, with some planning to focus on slashing routes to and from small and medium-size cities.
