US Shutdown Haults Air Travel: Record-Breaking Crisis Disrupts Millions of Passengers

This special report details the severe impact of a United States government shutdown on the nation’s aviation system. The focus is on the widespread travel disruptions caused by staff shortages, as essential employees like air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are forced to work without pay. The report’s colleague, Pranav Padhye, states, ‘the US government shutdown will today surpass the previous record of 35 days, and it is going to be the longest government shutdown in the US history’. During past shutdowns, absenteeism among unpaid federal workers led to significant flight delays, long security queues, and cancellations at major airports including those in New York, Dallas, and Denver. This has a cascading effect on millions of passengers and costs the travel economy billions.