In this articleVIAFollow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNTA board shows two cancelled American Airlines flights and three on time at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., Nov. 7, 2025. Brian Snyder | ReutersFlight disruptions that have marred air travel for millions of people in recent weeks could continue even after the government shutdown ends, airlines and the secretary of Transportation said.The Senate on Monday night passed a bill that could end the longest federal government shutdown in history, sending it to the House for a vote.But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that won’t be an immediate fix.”We’re going to wait to see the data on our end before we take out the restrictions in travel but it depends on controllers coming back to work,” Duffy said at a press conference at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.Duffy also warned severe disruptions over the past few days could get much worse without a deal.The Senate vote came as staffing shortages of air traffic controllers, who are required to work without their regular paychecks in the shutdown, have delayed or canceled thousands of flights, with issues worsening in recent days. Controllers missed their second full paychecks of the shutdown this week, and some have taken up second jobs and are working with increasing levels of stress, government and union officials have said.Even if the House passes the bill that will fund the federal government through January, airlines said they will need time to readjust.Read more CNBC airline newsBoeing stems cash burn for first time since 2023 but takes $4.9 billion charge on 777X delaysAmerican Airlines is late to the luxury travel boom. Can it catch up?American Airlines hires industry veteran to lead commercial team as profits trail rivals”Airlines’ reduced flight schedules cannot immediately bounce back to full capacity right after the government reopens,” Airlines for America, a lobbying group for airlines including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, said late Monday. “It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days. With the Thanksgiving travel period beginning next week and the busy shipping season around the corner, the time to act is now to help mitigate any further impacts to Americans.”Airlines will need time to reconfigure schedules and position planes and crews, something they were forced to quickly address with last week’s required flight cuts.More than 5 million travelers have been affected by airline staffing issues since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, Airlines for America said . The disruptions have sent some passengers looking for alternatives, from buses to rental cars and even private jets.Last Friday, the Trump administration started requiring commercial airlines to cut 4% of their domestic flights at 40 busy U.S. airports, with larger reductions on the way if the shutdown doesn’t end, as officials blamed the strain on air traffic controllers.Aviation groups have said that record numbers of travelers are expected for the Thanksgiving period, with the holiday just over two weeks away.Just over 5% of the scheduled 22,811 U.S. departures were canceled on Tuesday, a relatively light day for travel generally, according to aviation data firm Cirium. That’s down from an 8.7% cancellation rate on Monday, or 2,239 flights, and 2,633 cancellations on Sunday, or 10.2% of the schedule. Delays had also pi …
