Summary

  • More than 5,000 flights in the US are cancelled or delayed on Friday after airlines were told to cut traffic during the government shutdown

  • Domestic flights at 40 of the country's busiest airports will be affected as officials try to ease pressure on air traffic controllers

  • Airports have been grappling with air traffic controller shortages, who are either calling in sick or taking side jobs as they work without pay during the federal government shutdown

  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says reductions will start at 4% of internal flights before rising to the full 10% by the end of next week - or up to 15% or 20% "if the shutdown doesn't end relatively soon" says the US transportation chief

  • Several of the largest US airlines are assuring customers they'll be able to get full refunds for the cancelled flights - here's what some, including United and Delta, are saying

  • Have your flights been affected? Get in touch here.

Watch: 'Devastating' - Airline travellers react to flight reductions

Live Reporting

Edited by Caitlin Wilson with Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu reporting from Washington's Reagan National Airport

  1. White House clock part of shutdown blame game

    A screenshot of the countdown clock on the White House websitewhitehouse.gov

    Republicans and Democrats have blamed one another for the federal shutdown, which is entering its second month and is now the longest in US history.

    Republicans, who control both houses of Congress as well as the White House, blame Democrats for the impasse, saying they should agree to pass a "clean" funding resolution that would simply continue current spending levels.

    The White House website has even created a rolling clock with the caption: "Democrats have shut down the government."

    Because Republicans hold a slim majority in the chamber, they need a handful of Democrats in order to meet the 60-vote threshold to pass the resolution.

    Democrats have been fairly unified in holding out for a resolution that addresses health care costs for lower-income Americans that are set to rise soon.

  2. Airlines could be fined $75,000 if they go above limit

    Airlines could be fined as much as $75,000 (£57,220) for every flight they operate above the US Department of Transportation and FAA's reduced capacity limit.

    An emergency order published by the US government on Thursday states that it hopes to achieve a temporary 10% reduction in flights at 40 high traffic airports across the country by 14 November.

    The federal government says air traffic controllers "have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing".

    As we've been reporting, the reduction in operations will be gradual, with the government aiming for a 4% reduction on Friday, 6% by Tuesday 11 November, 8% reduction by 13 November and the desired 10% reduction by 14 November.

  3. Air traffic controllers resigning and losing their flats, union chief says

    Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), during a news conference at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Friday, 24 OctoberGetty Images

    We can bring you some more lines from Nick Daniels now.

    The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association says the longer the government shutdown goes on for, the greater the risk.

    Air traffic control is a job which requires 100% focus, 100% of the time, Daniels tells the BBC's US partner, CBS News.

    But his colleagues are "worried about putting gas in their car, they're worried about putting food on the table, they can't even pay for childcare in some instances", he says.

    He says that air traffic controllers have received a partial paycheck going into the shutdown and "for 37 days, they've received zero income for the work that they've done, [and] a lot of times that's 60 hours a week".

    The stalemate is "manifesting in anger", Daniels says, adding that it's also harming their mental well-being.

    "Today, one of the air traffic controllers was evicted from their apartments," he says.

    "Not only are the trainees feeling the pain ... it's those who are in mid-career, we're seeing them start to resign too".

  4. Air traffic controllers are going without pay - but the bills don't stop

    "Like many families, we didn't plan for a shutdown. Yet the bills don't stop."

    These are the words of one air traffic controller who has had to take up a second job working for a food delivery service to supplement his income - or lack of - during the government shutdown.

    Writing recently for MSNBC, the single father says he's working this job after his daily air traffic shift ends and is "sleeping only two hours most nights".

    He's one of thousands of air traffic controllers who have now been working without pay for two weeks. Yesterday, many received paychecks in the amount of $0.

    The shutdown has exacerbated an already-strained body of federal workers. While some air traffic controllers are working without pay, others are furloughed altogether.

    Some are looking for second jobs, like the man above, while others are increasingly calling in sick.

    "The controllers are wearing thin," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News on Sunday.

    Nick Daniels, the president of the labour union representing more than 20,000 aviation workers, put the situation into stark terms on Wednesday.

    "Air traffic controllers are texting: 'I don't even have enough money to put gas in my car to come to work,'" he told CNN.

    "We base what we do day in and day out on predictability," he said. "Right now there is no predictability."

  5. US air traffic control in numbers

    In the US there are 14,000 air traffic controllers stationed across 527 airport control towers - many of whom have not received a cent of their salaries for two weeks.

    Together, they handle more than 16,000,000 flights every year - that's around 44,000 every single day.

    At peak times, controllers around the US can be responsible for safely directing more than 5,000 flights at the same time.

    So, when the FAA says it will start by reducing 4% of domestic flights, these are the figures we're subtracting from - and, if this rises to the planned 10% by 14 November, it could mean about 4,000 flights per day being affected.

  6. How many flights are cancelled today?

    A Southwest Airlines aircraft taxis as an American Airlines aircraft lands at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, USReuters

    More than 800 flights scheduled for today have been cancelled, according to tracking website FlightAware.

    The site says SkyWest has cancelled more than 170 flights, Southwest Airlines has dropped around 120 and United has cut 64.

    FlightAware says around 200 flights within, into or out of the US were axed yesterday.

  7. Passenger experience will depend on airline, travel expert says

    Jack Grey
    Live reporter

    Simon Calder wearing a suit and looking at the camera

    The experience for passengers whose flights have been cancelled will significantly depend on which airline they're flying with, travel expert Simon Calder tells the BBC.

    “If transatlantic flights start being cancelled, then the difference in passenger rights between UK and EU flights and US flights will become clear,” he says.

    The FAA has said the cuts won't apply to international flights, but that specific airlines may choose to also axe some of those flights too.

    Calder says that at this stage it is highly unlikely that any transatlantic flights will be impacted, with internal "commuter routes" likely to be the first to see cancellations.

    But in the event they are, he says those travelling with a UK or EU carrier to the US would be entitled to be put up in a hotel and flown on any airline that has seats available.

    Those flying with a US airline, even if that ticket was booked via a UK carrier such as British Airways, will not have these protections, he adds.

    “If you’re on a US airline then they can say ‘we’re not covered by these rights, find yourself your own hotel and we’ll fly you out when we can’.”

  8. 'This isn't about politics,' US transportation secretary says

    Sean Duffy speaks into a microphoneReuters

    US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said that the decision to cut the number of flights is about safety, not politics.

    "This isn’t about politics - it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue working without pay," he wrote in a post on X on Thursday evening.

    "It’s safe to fly today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking."

    Duffy also said last weekend saw more than 2,700 delays at various airports.

  9. Cancellations could affect 4,000 flights a day if shutdown continues

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from New York

    Flight reductions will be gradual.

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it will be starting at 4% of domestic flights on Friday before rising to 6% by 11 November and 8% by 13 November, hitting the full 10% by 14 November.

    The cancellations could affect between 3,500 and 4,000 flights per day.

  10. What is a government shutdown?

    The US Capitol building in the background with a sign in the foreground stating that the visitor centre is closed due to government shutdownGetty Images

    The US government shutdown has been ongoing since 1 October. Now in its 38th day, it is the longest shutdown in US history.

    It means that around 1.4m federal employees are on unpaid leave or are working without pay until government resumes.

    While it may sound unusual to those outside the US, shutdowns have been quite common over the past 50 years – US President Donald Trump oversaw three in his first term.

    Shutdowns happen when Congress is unable to agree a new spending plan for the president to sign into law. Democrats and Republicans often remain in gridlock for weeks, with both sides not showing willingness to compromise.

    A bill funding government services could not be agreed past 1 October, when the previous federal budget expired.

    The last shutdown happened in December 2018, which finally ended in part due to large numbers of air traffic controllers calling in sick after more than a month without pay.

  11. Airlines offering refunds to customers

    A United Airline flight taking off from Los Angeles International on ThursdayReuters

    Major airlines are assuring customers they will not be caught out for the costs of cancelled flights.

    In a memo to staff that was shared with the BBC, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said any customer can get a refund on a flight, even if it isn't being cancelled, including customers with non-refundable tickets and basic economy tickets. The airline also said it would waive any fare differences on a re-booked flight.

    Delta Airlines has implemented a similar policy.

    American Airlines will allow customers to change a flight or request a refund, without penalty, whether or not their specific flights have been cancelled.

    Southwest Airlines says that if customers' flights are cancelled, they can re-book or request a refund.

    Frontier Airlines will let customers change or cancel their flights without a fee, but they will be required to pay any difference in fare on a re-booked flight. CEO Barry Biffle has suggested buying a "backup ticket" if you are heading to a wedding, funeral or an event you must be at.

  12. Which airports are affected?

    The FAA has released the full list of airports that will be experiencing cancellations to domestic flights:

    • Southern US airports: Charlotte Douglas International (CLT), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (CVG), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Louisville International (SDF), Memphis International (MEM)
    • Florida airports: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL), Miami International (MIA), Orlando International (MCO), Tampa International (TPA)
    • Texas airports: Dallas Love (DAL), Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), Houston Hobby (HOU), George Bush Houston Intercontinental (IAH)
    • Washington, DC airports: Baltimore/Washington International (BWI), Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD)
    • California airports: Los Angeles International (LAX), Oakland International (OAK), Ontario International (ONT), San Diego International (SAN), San Francisco International (SFO)
    • Northwest airports: Anchorage International (ANC), Portland International (PDX), Seattle/Tacoma International (SEA)
    • Midwest airports: Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O`Hare International (ORD), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW), Indianapolis International (IND), Minneapolis/St. Paul International (MSP)
    • Western airports: Denver International (DEN), Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS), Salt Lake City International (SLC), Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
    • New York, New Jersey, and upper east coast airports: New York John F. Kennedy International (JFK), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Newark Liberty International (EWR), Boston Logan International (BOS), Philadelphia International (PHL), Teterboro (TEB)
    • Hawaii: Honolulu International (HNL)

  13. Hundreds of flights cancelled as government shutdown continues

    Grace Eliza Goodwin
    Reporting from New York

    Hundreds of flights in the US are cancelled on Friday as the government shutdown continues.

    Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Wednesday that 10% of domestic flights at 40 major airports across the country are being cut.

    The decision has been made because air traffic controllers had been reporting fatigue with a reduced service needed to ensure US airspace remains safe for passengers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

    As essential workers, air traffic controllers are required to continue working, without pay, through the longest shutdown ever in the US. It's caused many workers to become ill with stress and forced some to take on second jobs to keep food on the table, unions say.

    Stay with us for updates on everything you need to know about the cuts - including why they're happening and how they are affecting travel around the country.