WASHINGTON, 8 November (H.S.): The protracted U.S. government shutdown has triggered significant disruptions across the nation's air travel system, with more than 1,200 flights canceled on Friday after the Trump administration ordered reductions to relieve the immense pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for weeks.
The move directly impacts travelers at 40 of the country's busiest airports and signals a deepening of a crisis with no immediate resolution in sight.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated a phased reduction of flights, starting with a four percent cut on Friday and threatening to escalate to ten percent by next week if the political impasse continues.
This unprecedented measure is a direct response to staffing shortages caused by the shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, which has left 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers without pay. The strain has led to a rise in absenteeism as unpaid federal employees struggle to meet their financial obligations, with some reportedly taking on second jobs.
The consequences of the political standoff in Washington are now rippling out to the American public, causing extensive delays and long lines at major hubs such as Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson, Chicago's O'Hare, and Newark Liberty. With the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period just weeks away, there is mounting anxiety that the situation could worsen considerably.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that flight reductions could be forced as high as 20 percent if a funding agreement is not reached, while blaming Democrats for the ongoing stalemate .Despite the chaos, officials have sought to reassure the public that flying remains safe, citing proactive measures to manage the strained system.
However, the continued lack of a political resolution means that travel uncertainty and disruptions are likely to persist, further testing the resilience of the nation's aviation infrastructure and the patience of its workforce and passengers.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
