Overview
- Airlines scrubbed about 2,900 U.S. flights Sunday with more than 10,000 delays, and had already canceled roughly 1,600 for Monday as the FAA’s phased reductions continued.
- The mandated cuts rose from 4% to a scheduled 6% on Tuesday and are set to reach 10% by Friday, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning they could climb to 15%–20% if conditions worsen.
- The Senate advanced a measure to reopen the government, yet the FAA says flight targets will stay in place until controllers return and safety data stabilizes, meaning disruption could persist even after funding resumes.
- Airlines are prioritizing long-haul and hub-to-hub service while trimming mostly domestic and regional routes, and they are offering rebooking, refunds and fee waivers to affected travelers.
- Controller absences tied to unpaid work, second jobs and accelerated retirements are driving shortages, the FAA expanded limits on some private flights, and President Trump urged controllers back to work while proposing bonuses for perfect attendance and docking pay for missed shifts.