• US airlines have canceled over 3,200 flights amid an ongoing government shutdown.
• The FAA ordered a phased reduction of flights due to staffing shortages in air traffic control.
• Officials warn that holiday travel could face severe disruptions as Thanksgiving approaches.

Over the weekend, US airlines saw over 3,200 flight cancellations, exacerbated by severe staffing shortages in air traffic control due to the ongoing government shutdown, which has now reached its 40th day. This critical situation has led to warnings from transportation officials that air travel could "slow to a trickle" as demand surges ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, historically one of the busiest travel periods in the US, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had mandated airlines to cut domestic flights by 4% starting on Friday, with reductions set to increase to 6% by Tuesday and a potential 10% by the end of the week. On Saturday alone, 1,550 flights were canceled, with another 6,700 delayed, highlighting the operational challenges faced by airlines as reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

As air traffic controllers continue to work without pay, staffing issues have been reported, with some controllers exhibiting significant fatigue and not showing up for work. As many as 13,000 air traffic controllers have been classified as essential and have not received their salaries since the shutdown began on October 1, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that if staffing shortages worsen, the FAA may be compelled to impose further cuts, potentially leading to a grind in air travel as Thanksgiving approaches. Duffy's comments reflect a growing concern about the ability to manage air travel during peak periods effectively, as echoed by both Reuters and Al Jazeera.