The cuts included about 40 major airports, including Atlanta, Newark, Denver, Chicago, and Houston. The measures began with a 4% reduction in flights, rising to 10% next week unless a new funding agreement is adopted. “FlightAware” data indicated that 3% of flights were canceled, and 94% departed on time, with the most affected airports being Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and Phoenix, according to American reports.
The US Transportation Secretary confirmed that flights are still safe, despite major airlines like “American,” “Delta,” and “Southwest” acknowledging the cancellation of hundreds of daily flights.
The decision comes amid a sharp political crisis between Republicans and Democrats over the budget and healthcare, while thousands of federal employees suffer from working without pay or forced leave, causing disruptions that directly affect travelers as the Thanksgiving holiday season approaches.
