By Jacki Thrapp
The U.S. Senate convened for a rare Saturday session to address the government shutdown, as more than 1,000 flights in the United States were canceled on Nov. 8 due to a government order to reduce operations at 40 airports across the country out of safety concerns.
The reductions, ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation, started Friday, with dozens of the nation’s busiest airports—like Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and all three of New York City’s major airports—being ordered to reduce operations by 4 percent.
The scope of operation reduction will expand over the next week to 6 percent on Nov. 11, 8 percent on Nov. 13, and 10 percent on Nov. 14.
The order was issued to address safety risks and delays caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay since Oct. 1 due to the government shutdown.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport had the most cancellations on Saturday, with both airports seeing more than 100 flights cancelled, according to FlightAware.
SkyWest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and Republic Airways were the most impacted on Saturday with over 100 cancellations each.
As of 4:00 p.m. ET, airports in Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and San Francisco were all under ground delays of up to four hours each.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that restrictions are in place for private jets, too.
“We’ve reduced their volume at high traffic airports — instead having private jets utilize smaller airports or airfields so busy controllers can focus on commercial aviation. That’s only fair,” Duffy wrote on X on Nov. 8.
Duffy said that any planes used for medical transports, emergencies, and law enforcement are being prioritized.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) proposed a new plan on Nov. 7 to end the shutdown.
He suggested “a simple one year extension of existing ACA tax credits to re-open the government” and to “establish a committee to continue negotiations for long-term lower healthcare costs.”
The Republicans have rejected it, asking Democrats to support a Republican continuing resolution (CR) that would temporarily fund the government at the level before the shutdown without additional items.
“I’m glad to see Democrats, after 38 days, back down from the maximalist and frankly insane position they’ve held since September,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said during the rare Senate hearing on Saturday.
“The only path out is supporting a clean CR so we can start a real discussion to address Democrats’ health care mess, continue the regular appropriations process, and provide relief to the American people,” Thune said in a social media post.
The airports that must reduce flights include:
- ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
- ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- BOS – Boston Logan International Airport
- BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport
- CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- DAL – Dallas Love Field
- DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- DEN – Denver International Airport
- DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
- DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport
- FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport
- HNL – Honolulu International Airport
- HOU – William P. Hobby Airport
- IAD – Washington Dulles International Airport
- IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport
- IND – Indianapolis International Airport
- JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International Airport
- LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International Airport
- LAX – Los Angeles International Airport
- LGA – New York LaGuardia Airport
- MCO – Orlando International Airport
- MDW – Chicago Midway International Airport
- MEM – Memphis International Airport
- MIA – Miami International Airport
- MSP – Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport
- OAK – Oakland International Airport
- ONT – Ontario International Airport
- ORD – Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- PDX – Portland International Airport
- PHL – Philadelphia International Airport
- PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- SAN – San Diego International Airport
- SDF – Louisville International Airport
- SEA – Seattle–Tacoma International Airport
- SFO – San Francisco International Airport
- SLC – Salt Lake City International Airport
- TEB – Teterboro Airport
- TPA – Tampa International Airport
