What Canadian airlines are telling travellers after more than 800 flights in U.S. cancelled or delayed

U.S. Flight Disruptions Impacting Canadian Travelers

Many cross-Canada flights pass through American airspace, so disruptions in the U.S. can significantly affect Canadian travelers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a 10% reduction in air traffic operations at 40 high-volume U.S. airports starting Friday.

Flight Cancellations and Delays

By Friday morning, over 800 flights connected to U.S. airports had already been cancelled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. This situation is expected to cause widespread delays and cancellations for Canadian travelers flying through U.S. airspace.

Reasons Behind the Disruption

The U.S. government shutdown, ongoing since October 1, is now the longest in the country's history. Due to this, U.S. air traffic controllers have been working without pay for nearly six weeks, causing staff shortages and increased flight delays.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, "We did not want to wait until the situation reached a crisis point," citing staffing pressures and pilot reports of growing fatigue among controllers.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy supports the FAA's decision to reduce operations for safety reasons.

What This Means for Canadian Travelers

Passengers should prepare for possible schedule changes and longer travel times. Airlines may adjust routes or flight times to avoid these disruptions, but delays remain likely while the situation persists.

Additional Information

The Canadian news outlet Postmedia Network offers updates and newsletters to keep travelers informed about ongoing changes and impacts.

Summary: The prolonged U.S. government shutdown has led to unpaid air traffic controllers causing flight staff shortages, resulting in a 10% cut at 40 busy U.S. airports and over 800 cancellations, affecting Canadian travelers significantly.

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National Post National Post — 2025-11-06

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