Flight Chaos Deepens: Over 1,400 US Flights Cancelled Amid FAA Cuts, Government Shutdown
The cuts come amid the longest-running government shutdown in US history, which has severely impacted air traffic control staffing and operations at major airports.
Travel disruptions escalated across the United States as airlines cancelled nearly 1,460 flights and delayed around 6,000 more on Saturday, the second day of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated flight reductions, Reuters reported.
The cuts come amid the longest-running government shutdown in US history, which has severely impacted air traffic control staffing and operations at major airports including Atlanta, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. The shutdown, which began on October 1, has already led to thousands of federal worker layoffs, intensifying concerns over aviation safety and nationwide mobility.
Since 1981, the US has had 15 federal government shutdowns that furloughed hundreds of thousands of workers, Reuters reported.
Funding for the US government is set to ran out at the end of Sept. 30 and Trump’s Republican Party did not reach an agreement with the opposition Democrats on a spending bill. While budget standoffs are common in US politics, this issue has drawn particular attention as Trump has spent the past several months reducing the size of the federal government, reported BBC.
Republicans suggested extending government funding at current levels until Nov. 21, allowing more time to finalise full-year appropriations bills. Democrats, however, countered with an offer to keep the government open through October, reported CBS News.
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve funding for federal agencies, stopping them from spending money that hasn’t been authorised. As per a CBS News report, there have been 14 shutdowns since 1980, with the latest in 2018 lasting 34 days.
Agencies are funded through 12 annual appropriations bills, often combined into an “omnibus” bill. If Congress misses the October 1 deadline, the government shuts down fully or partially, depending on which agencies already have funding. Lawmakers can pass a continuing resolution to temporarily extend funding while new bills are negotiated.
