Travelers across the United States faced a turbulent start to the week as the country’s air travel system reeled from the ongoing federal government shutdown, now in its forty-first day. As of Monday, November 10, 2025, President Donald Trump demanded that all air traffic controllers return to work immediately, threatening pay cuts for those who remained absent and promising $10,000 bonuses for those who had not taken any time off during the protracted shutdown. Trump’s forceful message came as airlines and passengers alike struggled with mounting flight cancellations and delays, all stemming from severe staffing shortages at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic control towers.
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,’” Trump wrote on social media, adding, “REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.” The president’s comments, reported by Reuters, underscored the administration’s frustration as the shutdown’s impact rippled through one of the nation’s most vital infrastructures.
Since the shutdown began on October 1, 2025, the FAA has been operating with a skeleton crew. According to FAA chief Bryan Bedford, 20% to 40% of air traffic controllers have been absent daily at the 30 largest U.S. airports. Many controllers, working without pay, have been forced to seek second jobs or stay home due to childcare concerns. The situation reached a breaking point over the weekend, with Saturday marking the worst staffing day since the shutdown began: 81 air traffic control centers reported shortages, the highest number so far, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The fallout for air travelers has been immediate and severe. On Monday, November 10, airlines canceled more than 1,660 U.S. flights, with FlightAware reporting 1,666 cancellations and 3,300 delays by midmorning. The previous day, Sunday, November 9, saw a staggering 2,950 cancellations and nearly 10,800 delays, making it the single worst day for flight disruptions since the government shutdown began. American Airlines alone reported that more than 250,000 customers had their flights canceled or delayed over the weekend. “This is simply unacceptable and everyone deserves better,” said American Chief Operating Officer David Seymour in a statement to employees.
And the pain isn’t over yet. The FAA, citing air traffic control safety concerns, mandated a 4% reduction in daily flights at 40 major airports starting last week. That figure is set to rise to 6% on Tuesday, November 11, and then to 10% by Friday, November 14. The agency has even warned that cuts could reach 20% if staffing does not improve. These reductions have thrown airline schedules into chaos, making it difficult for carriers to reposition aircraft and crews. Passengers, especially those traveling through major hubs like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, are being urged to plan for further delays and disruptions.
The situation has been further complicated by a November winter storm in Chicago, which has added another layer of difficulty for airlines and travelers alike. Late Sunday, the FAA announced it was suspending general aviation traffic at 12 airports suffering from acute staffing issues, including major facilities like Chicago O’Hare and Reagan Washington National. The agency also imposed ground delay or ground stop programs at nine airports—among them Houston, New York, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, and Las Vegas—and slowed flights in Florida.
The toll on the U.S. aviation system has been staggering. An airline trade group estimated that 1.2 million customers experienced delays or cancellations on Saturday and Sunday alone. FlightAware reported that airlines canceled more than 2,380 U.S. flights and delayed 8,900 on Monday. These numbers, as bleak as they are, may rise further as the FAA’s mandated flight cuts increase later in the week.
In the midst of this crisis, President Trump’s threats and promises have drawn sharp reactions from across the aviation industry and political spectrum. While the president insisted he would “welcome the resignation” of any controller who took time off and reward the “GREAT PATRIOTS” who continued working, questions remain about the feasibility of both the penalties and the bonuses. As Trump told Fox News, when asked how he would pay for the proposed $10,000 bonuses, “I don’t know – I’ll get it from someplace.”
Union leaders and lawmakers have pushed back against Trump’s rhetoric. National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels responded, “We’ll work with the administration… Air traffic controllers will continue to show up during this shutdown.” Representative Rick Larsen, the top Democrat overseeing the FAA in the House of Representatives, argued that controllers “deserve our thanks and appreciation, not unhinged attacks on their patriotism.”
Behind the scenes, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been working to retain controllers who are eligible for retirement, speed up hiring, and implement a $12.5 billion overhaul of the air-traffic control system. However, even before the shutdown, the FAA was already about 3,500 controllers short of its targeted staffing levels, with many working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks. The current crisis has only exacerbated these longstanding challenges.
Airlines and their executives have called for an immediate end to the shutdown and the disruptions it has caused. Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan summed up the industry’s frustration: “The government shutdown must end and so must the disruption caused to our customers and the federal employees who are being forced to work without pay.”
There may be some light at the end of the tunnel. Late on Sunday, November 9, the U.S. Senate voted to advance a bill to end the government shutdown, sending it to the House for approval. While there are “strong indications the longest government shutdown in U.S. history will end later this week,” as Reuters reported, it remains unclear exactly when Congress will give its final approval and when airline operations can return to normal—especially with the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period fast approaching.
For now, passengers, airlines, and air traffic controllers alike remain caught in the crosswinds of a historic government standoff, hoping for a swift resolution as delays and cancellations continue to mount. The nation’s air travel system, so often taken for granted, has become a vivid reminder of just how quickly the gears can grind to a halt when the people who keep it running are left waiting for pay—and for answers.
