Thousands of US flights cancelled or delayed over government shutdown cuts

BBC:

More than 5,000 US flights were cancelled or delayed on Friday, in the first day of new mandates forcing airlines to reduce air traffic during the government shutdown.

The new rules went into effect on Friday at 40 of the country’s biggest airports to ease pressure on air traffic controllers and other federal workers reporting to work without pay amid the historic federal funding impasse.

Essential employees have been calling in sick or taking side jobs to make ends meet since the shutdown started last month.

To manage staffing shortages, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency order mandating a 4% cut to flights – which will rise to 10% by the end of next week.