US airlines canceled nearly 1,200 flights on Tuesday, marking the fifth straight day with over 1,000 cancellations due to government-mandated flight reductions aimed at safety.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructed carriers last week to cut 4% of daily flights at 40 major airports starting November 7, citing air traffic controller shortages. Reductions increased to 6% on Tuesday, with plans to reach 8% on Thursday and 10% on Friday, November 14. Airlines and the FAA are actively discussing how and when these flight cuts can be eased as the record 42-day government shutdown nears its end.
The shutdown has caused massive disruption since October 1, with tens of thousands of flight cancellations and delays, affecting over 1.2 million passengers over the past weekend alone. On Tuesday, airlines also reported 1,300 delayed flights after 2,900 cancellations on Monday.
FAA officials noted that staffing issues improved on Tuesday, with only one reported problem, compared to multiple issues the day before. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump warned that air traffic controllers not returning to work could face pay cuts.
Currently, the FAA is 3,500 controllers short of its staffing target, with many employees working mandatory overtime even before the shutdown. Overall, the shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents to work without pay.
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