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The U.S. air system faces its most critical day since the beginning of the federal government shutdown, with over 2,100 flights canceled and more than 7,000 delays this Sunday, according to data from FlightAware cited by The Associated Press.
Since Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic could "drop dramatically" if the shutdown extends into the peak travel season for Thanksgiving.
Duffy acknowledged that air traffic controllers have not been paid for over a month, which has caused massive absences at the country's busiest airports.
The FAA implemented flight cuts that began with a 4% reduction on Friday and will increase to 10% on November 14, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., affecting all commercial airlines. The measure aims to prevent incidents in an "overloaded" system, according to Duffy, who stated that "every day, more controllers are not coming to work" due to payment issues.
"This is going to cause a major disruption. Many Americans will be furious," Duffy said in a television interview. "It's not going to get better; it will worsen until air traffic controllers are paid."
According to the monitoring firm Flighty, the four major U.S. airlines —American, Delta, United, and Southwest— reported a 42% disruption rate, with an average of 9% cancellations and 33% delays.
Delta tops the list with 14% of flights canceled, while Southwest has the lowest rate at 3.7%, although analysts warn that "eventually their time will run out."
Chaos arrives in Florida
Florida, one of the most visited states by tourists and travelers from Latin America, has become one of the epicenters of air chaos. According to , over 160 flights were canceled this Sunday at airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
At Miami International Airport (MIA), Local 10 News reported 45 delayed flights and 24 cancellations, while at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood (FLL), there were 33 delays and 31 cancellations. Some travelers spent the night in the terminals.
Aviation authorities advised passengers to check the status of their flights before leaving home and to anticipate long waits at security checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) warned that lines could get even longer as the federal shutdown continues.
Political crisis and human effects
The government shutdown —resulting from the deadlock in Congress over the federal budget— is having a ripple effect on the country's critical infrastructure, from air transport to civil services.
The Transportation Secretary stated that cuts of up to 20% may be necessary if payments to air traffic controllers are not resumed. "There will be a few flights taking off and landing," he warned.
Duffy denied that the cancellations are a political tactic, but his statements have generated tension in Washington. Meanwhile, the airports show the other side of the conflict: crowded hallways, red screens, and exhausted passengers who are paying the price of a crisis caused by the government shutdown.
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