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New Yorkers are used to a little airport chaos (TSA lines that double as obstacle courses, mysterious gate changes, the occasional emotional-support peacock) but today’s trouble is on a different scale. As the federal government shutdown stretches into its sixth week, thousands of flights at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark and dozens of other major U.S. airports are being canceled or delayed, with the FAA begins slashing domestic departures nationwide.
The cuts kicked in early Friday morning, part of a phased plan that will shrink schedules at 40 major airports by 10% over the next week. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move is a last-ditch effort to keep the system safe as air traffic control staffing collapses. Roughly 13,000 controllers and 50,000 TSA agents have been working without pay since October 1—and many are calling out sick or walking off the job entirely.
New York’s airports felt the squeeze almost immediately. According to CBS News, by 9 am this morning, JFK tallied 42 delays and 36 cancellations; LaGuardia reported seven delays and 39 cancellations; Newark saw 26 delays and 43 cancellations. Teterboro, often the fastest-moving airport in the tri-state area, is also on the FAA’s watchlist. And that’s just the opening act: airlines were told only 36 hours in advance to rework their schedules, leaving crews and passengers scrambling.
The nationwide plan starts with a 4% reduction today, 5% on Saturday, 6% Sunday, then a hard slide into 10% next week. International flights will be spared, but domestic travelers will feel it—hard. Aviation analytics firm Cirium estimates as many as 1,800 daily flights could disappear, wiping out 268,000 seats. Expect fewer options, longer lines and fares that sting even more than the middle seat on a holiday weekend.
Airlines are in triage mode. American expects to cancel about 220 flights this weekend; United is cutting nearly 200; Delta is slashing around 170. Carriers are prioritizing cancellations of smaller regional jets to minimize passenger disruption and many are offering full refunds for travelers who’d rather sit this one out. Hertz says one-way rentals are up 20% as people ditch the skies entirely and Greyhound’s parent company is prepping extra buses.
The shutdown—which began over a political deadlock around a spending bill—has already caused widespread ripple effects, from missed federal paychecks to stalled programs for low-income families. Now it’s grounding half the country’s weekend plans.
FAA officials say the system remains safe but stressed. “If people want to question us, I would throw it back at them—open up the government,” Duffy said in an official statement. Until that happens, brace yourself. The departures board is only going to look worse.