U.S. Surpasses 10,000 Flight Delays In Worst Day Of Shutdown

UNITED STATES – Travel chaos swept across the United States on Sunday as the government shutdown stretched into its fortieth day, triggering the worst nationwide flight disruption since the crisis began.

Airlines canceled more than two thousand eight hundred flights and delayed over ten thousand more. Delta Air Lines was among the hardest hit, with more than half of its mainline flights canceled or delayed.

The root of the problem is an alarming shortage of air traffic controllers who have now gone weeks without pay. The Federal Aviation Administration has been operating under severe strain, and the pressure on the system grew worse over the weekend.

The timing is especially troubling as millions of Americans prepare to travel for Thanksgiving later this month, raising fears that the holiday rush could become even more chaotic if the shutdown continues.