Flight cancellations and delays continue to mount at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as the federal government shutdown stretches into another week, snarling air travel nationwide and leaving passengers frustrated at the world’s busiest airport.
Atlanta Airport’s Sunday situation
By late Sunday afternoon, more than 400 flights had been canceled at Hartsfield-Jackson, according to FlightAware. The site showed the Atlanta airport leading the nation in disruptions as airlines continue cutting schedules in response to reduced staffing at air traffic control centers.
Travelers arriving early Sunday described long lines, packed gates and intermittent delays throughout the concourses, though airport operations remained steady. Officials said the airport itself is fully open and functioning, even as airline schedules are being pared back.
The airport’s website indicated as of Sunday afternoon that wait times at all TSA checkpoints were under 10 minutes.
Hartsfield-Jackson officials issued a travel alert Sunday afternoon urging travelers to check their flight status before heading to the airport:
“Flight cancellations and delays are increasing nationwide as the aviation system manages ongoing operational impacts.
“ATL remains fully operational. Before heading to the Airport, please confirm your flight status with your airline or visit ATL.com for real-time updates.
“Thank you for your patience as we work with our airline partners to keep travelers informed and moving safely.”
At Atlanta’s terminals, travelers waited in slow-moving lines as flight boards showed a mix of cancellations and delays. Some food vendors stayed open later than usual to accommodate passengers stranded overnight.
Airport officials said extra staff were on hand to assist passengers with rebooking and to help guide them through terminals as crowding fluctuated through the day.
Record-setting cancellations
According to the Associated Press, the slowdown at 40 major U.S. airports entered its third day Sunday, spreading delays and cancellations nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered flight reductions last week after some air traffic controllers, unpaid for nearly a month due to the shutdown, stopped reporting for duty.
FlightAware reported about 7,000 delays Sunday alone, along with more than 1,000 cancellations Friday and another 1,500 on Saturday.
The FAA said its flight reductions began Friday at 4% and will gradually rise to 10% by Nov. 14. The restrictions, in place from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, apply to all commercial airlines.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: ‘Controllers aren’t coming to work’
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the cancellations could increase sharply if the shutdown continues into the busy Thanksgiving travel period. He warned that air traffic could “slow to a trickle” as more air traffic controllers miss paychecks and stop showing up for work.
“More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day,” Duffy said on “Fox News Sunday.” “It doesn’t get better. It gets worse until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid.”
The FAA said staffing shortages are already causing average delays of more than an hour at some major airports, including Newark and LaGuardia. Detroit’s airport was described as nearly empty Sunday morning as flights continued to be grounded.
Controllers, TSA agents union react
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has repeatedly warned that the ongoing government shutdown is placing aviation safety at risk as unpaid air-traffic controllers continue managing the system. NATCA President Nick Daniels said in a statement Oct. 31 that controllers and other aviation safety professionals received “zero dollars” in their paycheck and that the situation was “not acceptable.”
Meanwhile, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents many of the federal workers affected, says tens of thousands of transit-security and air-traffic-related workers are operating without pay and facing economic hardship. AFGE urges lawmakers to reopen the government quickly to restore stability across the system.
Shutdown talks stall in Washington
The government shutdown, now in its fifth week, shows no sign of ending as lawmakers in Washington spent the weekend locked in a stalemate over federal spending and the future of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The Senate met Saturday for its first weekend session since the shutdown began, but it yielded little progress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s call for a quick vote never materialized, leaving both chambers at an impasse that has dragged into its 39th day.
The shutdown’s effects have rippled far beyond Washington, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees unpaid, delaying food assistance for millions of Americans, and contributing to widespread airline disruptions.
At the heart of the standoff is a dispute over whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits, which make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer of New York, offered an “olive branch” in the form of a one-year extension of the subsidies to keep Americans covered while a longer-term plan is negotiated.
Republicans rejected that offer, and President Donald Trump made clear Saturday he has no plans to compromise. On social media, Trump called the ACA “the worst Healthcare anywhere in the world” and suggested sending money directly to individuals to buy insurance.
Thune said Trump’s idea would not be part of a deal to end the shutdown, though he said the discussion “is one the president and all of us want to have.” Several Republican senators echoed Trump’s criticism of the ACA, arguing that the subsidies favor insurance companies.
SEE ALSO:
- FAA cuts flights amid shutdown strain: How it will impact Atlanta’s airport
- Tracking delays, cancellations at Atlanta airport as FAA reductions begin
- Ground stop at Atlanta airport adds to delays, cancellations Saturday
- Atlanta airport delays, cancellations on Monday amid shutdown
- Hopelessness’ among air traffic controllers as government shutdown
- FAA airspace closures: How each airline is responding
- Government shutdown latest: Senators working through the weekend; 1,000 flights canceled
Moderate senators from both parties have been working behind the scenes on a separate proposal that would reopen the government temporarily in exchange for a later vote on the health-care subsidies. The plan, led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., would fund key areas such as veterans programs and food aid while extending overall government funding into December or January.
However, it remains unclear whether enough Democrats would support that approach, or whether Trump would sign it.
Trump has urged Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to pass a funding bill without Democrats, but Thune and other GOP leaders have resisted that idea, preferring a bipartisan path that could attract at least a handful of Democratic votes.
The current House-passed funding measure, rejected by the Senate 14 times since Oct. 1, would extend government operations only through Nov. 21. Thune has said he is exploring a new package that mirrors the moderates’ outline but has not said whether it would include any health-care guarantees.
Schumer on Saturday reiterated that Democrats are unwilling to reopen the government without securing an extension of the ACA subsidies first. “Doing nothing is derelict because people will go bankrupt, people will lose insurance, people will get sicker,” he said on the Senate floor. “That’s what will happen if this Congress fails to act.”
With the Senate set to adjourn next week and the House largely inactive, the shutdown remains without a clear path to resolution, even as its toll spreads from Washington to airports, food programs, and families nationwide.
Tips for traveling during the shutdown
Travel experts recommend several steps for anyone flying while the FAA’s restrictions remain in place:
- Check flight status early: Confirm details through your airline’s app or a flight-tracking site before leaving home.
- Pack light: A carry-on helps avoid baggage lines and makes rebooking easier if plans change.
- Arrive early: Give yourself extra time, especially if traveling with children or anyone who needs assistance.
- Know your rights: Airlines must offer refunds for canceled flights, though they are not required to cover meals or hotels unless delays are within their control.
- Be patient: Airport and airline staff are dealing with high volumes of frustrated travelers. Courtesy can help smooth the process.
Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble Travel, said planning ahead is critical. “It’s going to take time to work through this,” he said. “Even after the shutdown ends, staffing will take weeks to stabilize.”
Impact to Atlanta’s airport
With the Thanksgiving travel rush less than two weeks away, officials and unions alike are warning that the situation could worsen before it improves. Travelers are urged to monitor conditions closely and plan for significant delays through mid-November.
Hartsfield-Jackson officials say they will continue to post updates at ATL.com and work with airlines to keep travelers informed. But with more cuts expected and holiday travel approaching, passengers should expect continued disruptions across the U.S. aviation system.
