CHAOS: FAA Reductions Cause More Than 972 Cancellations, 4,151 Delays Across the U.S.

The TSA line at Philadelphia International Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Per flight data, more than 972 cancellations and 4,151 delays on flights within, into, or out of the U.S have already been recorded today as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) begins mandated reductions in flight operations amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, has forced the FAA to order flight cutbacks at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, initially reducing flights by 4% but promising 10% cuts by next week.

Yet on Friday, speaking at a Breitbart News-sponsored event, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the government shutdown continues into the busy Thanksgiving travel period, flight cutbacks at certain airports could increase to as much as 20 percent, citing an increased strain on air traffic controllers who are now in their second month without pay.

“We’ve had more complaints from pilots that have said, well, the controller is less responsive to me, or controllers seem to be more stressed,” Duffy said when initially announcing the cuts on Wednesday. “The numbers are going in the wrong direction.”

Answering a question from a reporter about the cuts in the White House on Thursday, President Donald Trump said, “They want to make sure it’s 100% safe. That’s why they’re doing it.”

On Friday, the White House again blamed the Democrats for the shutdown, writing on X, “Flights delayed, chaos everywhere. Thanks Democrats!”

While the Transportation Department has required that all airlines must give full refunds for canceled flights, even those with unimpacted flights face snaking lines and long check-in times, as documented by ABC News below.

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