US airlines warn of ‘lingering delays’ despite government shutdown breakthrough 

US airlines have expressed relief after President Donald Trump signed a bill reopening the government following a 43-day shutdown that wreaked havoc on the aviation sector.  

During the signing in the White House Oval Office on December 12, 2025, President Trump again blamed Democrat politicians for the stalemate that left air traffic controllers without pay for over six weeks.  

“For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress shut down the government of the United States in an attempt to extort American taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars for illegal aliens… Today, we’re sending a clear message that we will NEVER give in to extortion,” said President Trump.  

On November 7, 2025, the ongoing shutdown forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reduce airline operations each day by between 4% and 10% at 40 major airports.  

Length of government shutdowns. pic.twitter.com/FgZshRNhFj— CSPAN (@cspan) November 13, 2025 The shutdown led to staff absences from control towers due to illness and stress while others were forced to find second jobs to make ends meet.  

According to the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, the 43-day government shutdown led to 19,986 flight delays. 

Secretary Duffy also confirmed that the FAA flight cuts planned for November 13, 2025, have been cut from 8% and frozen at 6%. 

Reacting to the news of a government shutdown breakthrough, airlines warned passengers of “lingering delays” and cancellations. 

SIGNED & DELIVERED: President Trump signs bill reopening the government. For 43 days, Democrats shut down the government, trying to extort billions from taxpayers for illegal aliens. Today’s message: Republicans won’t give in. pic.twitter.com/qesstMpMkR— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 13, 2025 Here are some of the responses from airlines following news that the shutdown had come to an end:   

American Airlines

“We are pleased the government shutdown is over and we’re already seeing significantly fewer air traffic control staffing shortages, which is leading to reduced delays and cancellations for our customers. We are ready to ramp up, but we expect some lingering delays and cancellations as air traffic control and FAA return to normal operations. We encourage all customers to check their flight status.” 

Delta Air Lines

“Delta appreciates the work of the U.S. Congress to reopen the federal government. We are extremely grateful to all the federal workers including air traffic controllers and officers with the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection who worked without a paycheck for more than 40 days to keep our skies safe and secure  – and to Delta people who went above and beyond to take care of our customers and government workers during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. We look forward to bringing our operation back to full capacity over the next few days and delivering the premium experience our customers expect as we look ahead to the holiday season.”    

Airlines for America (A4A): 

“This prolonged disruption placed significant strain on millions of Americans—including travelers, shippers and the federal employees who keep our aviation system safe. We are grateful to the dedicated air traffic controllers and TSA officers who showed up for work despite not getting paid. Additionally, thousands of airline employees have been going the extra mile to take care of customers during these challenging days.  

When the FAA gives airlines clearance to return to full capacity, our crews will work quickly to ramp up operations especially with Thanksgiving holiday travel beginning next week. 

We implore Congress to ensure future funding bills do not allow aviation to become collateral damage in Washington’s policy debates. The FAA’s Airport and Airway Trust Fund currently has $5 billion that could be used to pay air traffic controllers during future shutdowns. We ask Congress to consider legislation that would implement a long-term solution.” 

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