US flight disruptions to persist even after shutdown funding restored

Flight disruptions across the United States are unlikely to be resolved quickly, even after the partial restoration of federal government funding, the New York Times reported, citing U.S. Transportation Secretary and acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy.

Duffy did not specify when normal airport operations might resume after the shutdown ends, noting that recovery will take time.

According to aviation tracker FlightAware, 2,400 flights were cancelled across the U.S. on November 11, while another 1,200 cancellations were reported as of early November 12.

The ongoing U.S. federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, has become the longest in American history at over 40 days as of November 12. It stems from a partisan impasse in Congress over budget priorities, including expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies and broader spending cuts demanded by Republicans.

President Donald Trump has blamed Democrats for blocking a "clean" funding bill, while Democrats accuse the administration of using the crisis to pressure for policy concessions like immigration reforms. The Senate passed a bipartisan measure on November 10 to reopen the government, but it awaits House approval, potentially as early as today, November 12.

Essential services, including air traffic control (ATC), continue via furloughed federal employees working without pay. However, chronic ATC staffing shortages—exacerbated by the shutdown, with ~2,000-3,000 vacancies pre-crisis and rising retirements/absences—have led to safety concerns and FAA-mandated flight reductions at 40 major airports (e.g., Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas, Newark). These started at 4% on November 7, escalating to 6% on November 11, 8% on November 13, and 10% by November 14 if unresolved.

By Khagan Isayev