US airlines are bracing for another week of widespread flight cancellations as the government shutdown drags on. Flight‑tracking data shows more than 1,500 U.S. flights—about 5.5 % of all scheduled trips—have been called off so far. FAA officials say the cuts are necessary to relieve air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay for over a month.
The FAA expects the toll to grow next week. Cancellations could hit 6 % on Tuesday, rise to 8 % on Thursday, and hit 10 % on Friday. Last weekend, roughly 5,000 flights were canceled nationwide, with Sunday recording the fourth‑worst day for U.S. cancellations this year.
President Donald Trump commented on Monday that air‑traffic controllers who skip work will face penalties and said he’d recommend $10,000 bonuses for those who stuck through the shutdown. “All air‑traffic controllers must get back to work, NOW! Those who didn’t are being docked,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that patriotic controllers who stayed busy would earn a $10,000 reward.
At the same time, the Trump administration is continuing its legal fight to withhold full federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the shutdown. A federal court previously ordered the government to fully fund about 42 million Americans relying on food stamps. After the appeals court declined to block that order, a judge in Massachusetts granted a temporary stay to block the funding cut, as requested by more than two dozen states.
The Senate moved ahead with bipartisan legislation aimed at reversing Trump’s firings of federal employees and guaranteeing food‑stamp funding through fiscal year 2026. On Sunday, eight Democratic senators broke ranks, voting to reopen the federal government.
With 10 % of flights canceled this week, travelers are urged to check schedules and consider alternate routes or dates. The ongoing shutdown and the Federal Aviation Administration’s flight reductions signal that U.S. airlines and passengers alike will feel the impact for weeks to come.
Source: ianslive
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