— U.S. air travel faced widespread disruption on Monday as nearly 2,100 flights were canceled and lawmakers raced to resolve a federal government shutdown. Data compiled by aviation analytics firm Cirium showed the cancellations totaled roughly 8.2% of the day’s 25,735 scheduled flights as of 6:15 p.m. in New York. The situation intensified after air traffic controllers missed a second consecutive full paycheck, prompting their union to warn of the “erosion of safety.” Negotiations in Congress moved forward but had not yet produced a deal at the time of the update on .
Key takeaways
- Almost 2,100 flights were canceled nationwide as of 6:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, according to Cirium’s compiled schedules and cancellations.
- Those cancellations represented about 8.2% of the day’s 25,735 scheduled U.S. flights, per Cirium’s data snapshot.
- Air traffic control staff missed their second straight full paycheck amid the federal shutdown, a factor the union linked to operational strains.
- The air traffic controllers’ union publicly warned of an “erosion of safety” tied to payroll interruptions and staffing pressures.
- Lawmakers continued talks to end the shutdown; no final congressional agreement had been announced in the initial reporting.
- Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, provided the cancellation totals used by industry and media outlets in real time.
Background
Federal government shutdowns in the United States affect a wide range of services and employees; air traffic controllers, while designated essential, may still face payroll disruptions when appropriations lapse. Controllers continue working during shutdowns, but delayed wages and uncertainty can strain workforce morale and scheduling. Airlines, airports and ground handlers must adjust operations when staffing becomes unpredictable, often trimming schedules or canceling flights to maintain safety margins and operational feasibility. Historically, even short-term funding lapses have produced ripple effects across ticketing, maintenance windows and crew rostering, complicating recovery once funding resumes.
Key stakeholders include the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees airspace and sets operational limits; labor unions representing controllers; commercial carriers that operate the scheduled flights; and congressional leaders whose appropriations decisions determine payroll funding. Aviation analytics firms such as Cirium provide near-real-time tracking of cancellations and delays and are used by airlines and media to quantify disruptions. Passengers are the immediate visible victims of cancellations, while airports and local economies absorb cascading service and logistical impacts.
Main event
The disruption accelerated on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, when Cirium recorded almost 2,100 cancellations across the U.S. by 6:15 p.m. in New York, equal to roughly 8.2% of 25,735 scheduled departures that day. Cancellations were reported at major hubs and regional airports alike as carriers adjusted schedules in response to staffing unpredictability and operational constraints. Airlines generally restrict schedules when controller availability drops to keep safe separation, optimize traffic flows and ensure crews and ground services align with revised plans.
Union leaders warned publicly that the missed paychecks were having operational consequences. While controllers are required to work through funding gaps, union statements cited staffing gaps, fatigue and scheduling disruptions as pressures that could degrade service standards. Airline operations teams described repeatedly reworking flight plans, aircraft rotations and crew assignments to limit passenger stranding and preserve safety margins. At the same time, congressional negotiators engaged in last-minute talks to restore appropriations and payroll funding.
Industry sources said the cancellations were concentrated during peak daily windows when scheduling complexity is highest, creating outsized disruption for passengers with tight connections. Airlines issued rolling updates and refund or rebooking options for affected customers while airports deployed additional staffing at ticket counters. Travelers reported long lines and uncertainty at terminals, and some carriers preemptively reduced schedules to avoid more disruptive mid-day or late-evening cancellations.
Analysis & implications
The immediate operational effect is clear: schedule reliability dropped and airlines incurred costs re-accommodating passengers and repositioning aircraft. For carriers, cancellations and delays raise short-term operating expenses and can erode customer confidence, especially during holiday or peak travel periods. The broader economic impact can extend to airport concession revenue, local ground transportation and freight flows where passenger and cargo networks intersect. If the shutdown persisted, the cumulative cost would grow as crews exceed duty-rest patterns and maintenance windows tighten.
From a safety-management perspective, sustained payroll interruptions risk straining workforce resilience. Air traffic control depends on predictable staffing and adequate rest cycles; when personnel face repeated schedule changes or unpaid work periods, managers must balance coverage against fatigue risk. The union’s warning of an “erosion of safety” frames these operational trade-offs as more than inconvenience, presenting potential regulatory and oversight implications for the FAA and other aviation authorities. Regulators may respond with temporary flow controls or other mitigations if staffing shortfalls create systemic congestion.
Politically, the cancellations raise pressure on lawmakers to resolve the funding impasse quickly. High-profile travel disruption tends to concentrate public attention and can accelerate bipartisan incentives to pass short-term appropriations or targeted stopgap measures. If congressional action restores pay, airlines and airports will focus on recovery and backlog management; if not, the travel industry may continue defensive reductions that extend passenger disruptions beyond the shutdown’s calendar duration.
Comparison & data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Canceled flights (as of 6:15 p.m. ET, Nov. 10, 2025) | ~2,100 |
| Scheduled U.S. flights (Nov. 10, 2025) | 25,735 |
| Share canceled | ~8.2% |
Those figures come from Cirium’s compiled operational database for the date in question and capture cancellations recorded by 6:15 p.m. ET in New York. An 8.2% cancellation rate represents a sizable daily disruption in a network that typically plans for far smaller percentages of unplanned removals; airlines and airports operate contingency plans but are not designed for sustained multi-percent removal of scheduled departures. The table is a snapshot, not an end-of-day total; counts can shift as carriers file recovery schedules or reinstate flights when staffing or funding is clarified.
Reactions & quotes
The air traffic controllers’ union publicly framed the payroll lapse as a direct operational risk and called for immediate congressional action. Below is the union’s succinct warning and the data firm’s summary of cancellations, each cited to their respective organizations.
“We are seeing an erosion of safety as our members miss pay and face unsustainable scheduling pressures.”
Air traffic controllers’ union (official statement)
This statement reflects union leaders’ argument that unpaid work increases strain on staffing and scheduling. Union officials stressed that controllers remain on duty as required but said morale and predictable staffing patterns were harmed, which can complicate daily traffic management.
“Cirium’s snapshot recorded roughly 2,100 cancellations, about 8.2% of 25,735 scheduled flights for the day.”
Cirium (aviation analytics firm)
Cirium’s data note accompanied the public figures used across media reporting and industry briefings; carriers and analysts relied on the firm’s tally to quantify the scale of disruption in near real time. Airlines used that data alongside their internal systems to prioritize rebookings and operational recovery.
Unconfirmed
- Whether a specific, quantifiable number of controllers failed to report for duty has not been publicly verified beyond union statements.
- A direct causal link between the missed paychecks and each individual cancellation remains subject to airline and FAA operational assessments.
- Estimates of the total economic cost of the day’s cancellations across carriers and airports were not available at the time of reporting.
Bottom line
The November 10 snapshot underscores how fiscal standoffs in Washington can quickly translate into widespread operational disruption for the aviation system. Nearly 2,100 cancellations and an 8.2% removal of scheduled flights on a single day create tangible passenger, airline and airport costs and concentrate pressure on negotiators to reach a funding resolution.
Watch the coming 24–72 hours: congressional action to restore appropriations or targeted payroll funding would likely trigger a phased recovery of flights and reduce the need for defensive schedule cuts. If talks stall, the industry could face sustained operational limits and additional cancellations as managers prioritize safety and reliable service over maintaining full published schedules.
Sources
- Bloomberg (news outlet) — original reporting and timeline of events.
- Cirium (aviation analytics firm) — data on scheduled flights and cancellations used in the article.
- Air traffic controllers’ union (labor organization, official statements) — union commentary on payroll and safety concerns.