US travelers warned of massive flight cuts ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

The government shutdown, now at a record 40 days, has created a shortage of air traffic controllers, who, like other federal employees, have not been paid for several weeks.

"Two weeks before Thanksgiving, you will see air travel cut to a minimum," Duffy said.

Thanksgiving in the US

Ahead of Thanksgiving, one of the country's major holidays, observed this year on November 27, widespread flight disruptions are expected. Millions of Americans could miss their flights if the situation does not improve, Duffy warned.

Due to the shortage of controllers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered airlines to cut daily flights. From November 6, flights at 40 major US airports will drop by 4%. Reductions rise to 6% on November 11 and 10% from November 14.

The cuts are linked to the government shutdown, which began on October 1. Increasingly, experienced controllers are retiring, leaving the FAA short by 1,000 to 2,000 staff needed for full operations.

"I used to have about four controllers retire a day before the shutdown... Now up to 15 to 20 a day are retiring," Duffy said, adding that they have tried to retain experienced staff to avoid a crisis.

Shutdown and its consequences

The shutdown, the suspension of US federal government operations due to a lack of approved funding, has now lasted 39 days, breaking all previous records in the United States.

Economists estimate daily losses to the US economy at about $15 billion. Numerous federal agencies are already feeling the budget restrictions, and US airlines have canceled more than 1,000 flights.

American troops in Germany are being sent to food banks because of the shutdown. Around 37,000 US soldiers stationed there risk going unpaid for November.

Worse, the prolonged partial government closure has delayed the export of over $5 billion worth of US weapons destined for NATO allies and Ukraine.