- Over 12,500 U.S. flights were canceled or delayed on Monday due to powerful storms sweeping across the eastern half of the country.
- More than 4,000 flights were canceled by 4 p.m. ET, leaving travelers stranded and forcing some to sleep on airport floors.
- The widespread travel disruptions were exacerbated by an ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners missing their first full paycheck over the weekend.
- Staffing shortages at TSA checkpoints, caused by unpaid workers taking second jobs or leaving, led to longer security lines at airports already crowded with spring break and March Madness travelers.
- Airline CEOs issued an open letter to Congress, urging a resolution to the shutdown to ensure federal aviation workers receive pay and to prevent further travel chaos.
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