Picture it: exhausted families sprawled across airport floors, toddlers wailing over the crackle of loudspeakers, and frazzled travellers glued to departure boards flashing 'DELAYED' in furious red letters.
It is not a travel nightmare you wake up from; it is the reality for millions of Americans this week, as the nation's skies buckle under a government shutdown that has left air-traffic controllers unpaid and airports in meltdown.
According to ABC News, the shutdown has now dragged into its 31st day, crippling nearly half of the United States' 30 busiest airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that as much as 80 per cent of air-traffic controllers in the New York City region have called out, forcing the agency to throttle flight volumes and triggering thousands of delays and cancellations across the country.
Airports Across America in Turmoil
The effects have been catastrophic. Between October 30 and November 1, nearly 7,000 flights were delayed nationwide, with another 162 cancelled within a single 24-hour period.
The US Travel Association now estimates that the shutdown is costing the economy around £820 million ($1 billion) every week, hitting major airlines including Delta, JetBlue, American, Southwest and Spirit.
New York's LaGuardia Airport was among the hardest hit, recording 140-minute average delays and 12 per cent of flights cancelled outright.
At Newark Liberty, staffing fell to 50 per cent, creating hour-long delays, while Orlando International at one point had no certified controllers on duty, forcing a complete ground stop that lasted hours.
The disruption rippled nationwide. Dallas Fort Worth, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, and Boston Logan saw hour-plus holdups, while Reagan National in Washington DC and Los Angeles International suffered temporary shutdowns.
Even Hollywood Burbank Airport in California went six hours without active controllers earlier this month, leaving pilots stranded mid-taxi.
'It's absolute bedlam,' said one tearful mother from Ohio, clutching her toddler at LaGuardia. 'We've been here since dawn and now we'll miss Nanny's turkey. This shutdown's robbed us of family time. It's heartbreaking.'
DEVELOPING: FAA says nearly 50% of major air traffic control facilities are short-staffed—and nearly 90% of controllers are out at New York–area facilities.
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) November 1, 2025
The list of facilities with low staffing is the longest of the shutdown. pic.twitter.com/UVq8RfYAiv
Washington Under Fire
At the White House, Vice-President JD Vance admitted the aviation system was buckling under the strain. 'Everybody here is worried we're going to see more delays and more stress on the people who actually make the aviation system run,' he said. 'This is a nightmare for American families.'
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy added that thousands of aviation workers, including controllers and safety inspectors, have gone over a month without pay. 'These men and women are the backbone of our skies,' he said. 'They are working long hours under huge stress while Congress remains at an impasse.'
The FAA said it would never compromise safety but conceded that flight volumes were being throttled back to maintain control, creating a domino effect of delays nationwide.
Political Stalemate Takes Centre Stage
The shutdown stems from a budget impasse between President Trump and congressional Democrats over funding priorities. Republicans blame Democrats for blocking spending resolutions, while Democrats accuse the GOP of holding the budget hostage with partisan demands.
Unions such as the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) have launched protests at airports, accusing lawmakers of ignoring long-standing issues with outdated radar systems and chronic understaffing. NATCA officials warn that morale has hit 'rock bottom' as unpaid workers face mounting bills and fatigue.
'These workers are distracted by empty fridges back home,' said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants. 'How can they keep the skies safe when the government has hung them out to dry?'
Lessons Unlearnt
The crisis echoes the 35-day government shutdown of 2018–2019, when mass absences by air-traffic controllers forced Congress to reach a deal. History, it seems, is repeating itself.
Economists estimate that the current standoff could soon surpass that previous shutdown in both length and economic damage. The US Travel Association describes the situation as 'economic self-sabotage', warning that prolonged disruption could cripple the holiday season.
'The aviation system is a mirror of the country,' one transport analyst told ABC News. 'When it starts to crack, it shows how fragile everything else has become.'
For now, flights are still taking off, but slowly. Travellers are being urged to check the FAA's National Airspace System Status page, use flight-tracking apps such as FlightAware, and add hours of buffer time.
