U.S. Shutdown Severely Disrupts Airports, Thousands of Flights Delayed

Washington, November 4 (Udaipur Kiran): The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which has stretched for over a month, has begun to heavily impact air travel across the country. Staff shortages have led to significant flight delays and long queues at airport security checkpoints.

The situation worsened over the past weekend, with more than 5,000 flights delayed across the United States on Sunday alone. By Monday afternoon, over 2,530 flights were delayed and more than 60 flights had been cancelled, according to data from FlightAware.

Major airports have been the worst affected, with passengers facing up to three-hour waits in security lines. Similar delays have been reported in several large cities, further straining travel schedules.

The White House blamed Democratic leaders for the ongoing crisis, accusing them of playing politics at the cost of ordinary citizens’ convenience. However, Democrats rejected the allegations, saying the government and the President were making false claims.

The Department of Transportation has warned that more flight delays and cancellations are likely if the shutdown continues. Air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay, are under growing financial pressure.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the situation is becoming unsustainable, with many controllers considering quitting their jobs. He added that the country is already facing a shortage of around 2,000 to 3,000 air traffic controllers.

The shutdown’s end remains uncertain, as political deadlock continues between the Republican and Democratic parties. Republicans accuse Democrats of pushing for healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants, while Democrats insist they are only seeking to restore healthcare funding cuts affecting U.S. citizens.