Shutdown in the United States: air travel collapses. Over 5.000 flights are canceled or delayed, and the airport system is under pressure.

The longest shutdown in US history is generating an unprecedented ripple effect across the entire air transport system. On the first day of operations alone, over 1.700 flights were canceled, thousands experienced significant delays, and 32 control towers reported staffing shortages that are jeopardizing routine air traffic management. This signals a country in a full-blown operational emergency, while the political battle in Washington has paralyzed a significant portion of the federal administration for 37 days.

An unprecedented crisis in American skies

According to data from the Cirium aviation center, 1.723 cancellations were recorded on Friday alone, representing 2,1% of the nearly 58.000 scheduled flights. This number is expected to rise, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration: if the shutdown is not resolved, flight cancellations could reach 20%.

The most affected airports are among the busiest in the country: Phoenix, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. The impact isn't limited to long-haul flights. Domestic traffic is suffering the most, with average delays of four to five hours and passengers stranded for entire days.

The Department of Transportation explained that the system is under critical pressure: in over ten cities, 32 control towers are operating with reduced staffing. Ground stops have been requested in eight of them to adjust landing procedures, highlighting a situation of operational stress that has become structural.

Unpaid staff and growing absences: the FAA is at its limit.

At the heart of the crisis is staffing shortages. Tens of thousands of federal employees, including air traffic controllers and airport security officers, are working without pay. Many have requested leave or declared themselves unable to work shifts, placing an unsustainable burden on the remaining staff.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA is initiating a plan to reduce flights by up to 10%, but fears the situation could worsen: “If the shutdown continues and more controllers are unable to get to work, we could find ourselves having to reduce traffic by as much as 15 or 20%.”

The U.S. air traffic control sector, which employs approximately 13.000 personnel, is showing early signs of weakness: hundreds are absent, and the system's overall capacity is rapidly declining.

Airlines forced to cut routes and schedule preventive cancellations

Major American airlines have begun to independently reduce their operations. American Airlines has already canceled 220 scheduled flights, Delta about 170, and Southwest about 100. United is the hardest hit in absolute terms, with over 540 cancellations.

The phenomenon does not affect a single hub or a specific geographic area, as happens during a storm or a weather emergency: the collapse is widespread, simultaneous, and involves the entire national grid.

The political clash in Washington accentuates the emergency

The Senate has been convened to try to break the stalemate, but the gap between Republicans and Democrats remains wide. The lack of an agreement to refinance the federal government has already frozen 27% of public spending, halting departments, agencies, museums, parks, and support services.

There have been 20 shutdowns since 1975, but the current one is the longest ever. The political escalation is also fueled by former President Donald Trump's demands that Republican senators abolish the filibuster to overcome the Democratic filibuster. This decision would radically transform the Senate dynamic.

The fear, expressed by ISPI analysts, is that this paralysis could extend to financial markets, with a potential increase in interest rates on government bonds and a systemic risk of default by 2025, if the situation were to deteriorate further.

Repercussions also in Europe and Italy

The US crisis could also have direct effects on the Old Continent. American military bases in Europe, including Italy, may lack the funds needed to pay civilian personnel. Furthermore, the reduction in domestic US traffic threatens to affect transatlantic flights as well, with widespread delays and cancellations.

The European aviation industry will be monitoring the coming hours very closely, aware that a prolonged collapse of the US air network would have global impacts on routes, connections, and operational capacity.

A decisive weekend for the unlock

This weekend represents a crucial moment. If the Senate fails to reach an agreement, the United States could face hundreds more cancellations and a growing number of delays, exacerbated by congestion at major airports and staff exhaustion.

The country faces the prospect of a deepening gridlock, while the already strained airline industry is demanding a swift political solution to avoid a collapse that risks leaving a lasting mark on America's economy and infrastructure reputation.