How Sacramento air travel could be impacted as shutdown drags on

With Thanksgiving less than three weeks away, air travel disruptions are mounting as the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month, and air traffic controllers continue working without pay.On Sunday, nearly 12,000 flights have been delayed nationwide and just over 1,000 canceled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.In Sacramento, roughly 5% of departures are delayed and 1% canceled as 7 A.M. , with officials warning those numbers could grow if the shutdown continues.To relieve pressure on the system, the FAA has ordered an initial 4% reduction in operations and will ramp that down to 6% on November 11, 8% on November 13, and 10% by Friday, November 14.The FAA estimates that reaching a 10% reduction could translate to about 4,400 flight cancellations per day.The timing raises alarms ahead of the Thanksgiving rush, typically the busiest stretch of the year, now just two and a half weeks away. Even modest daily reductions can ripple across the network, turning localized slowdowns into nationwide delays and cancellations. FlightAware’s data reflect broad system stress, and further reductions could intensify disruptions if the shutdown drags on.Travelers departing from Northern California are being urged to monitor flight status closely, build in extra time, and be prepared for rolling schedule changes as the FAA’s phased reductions take effect through next week. Airlines may consolidate or trim flights proactively to align with reduced airspace capacity. Officials and industry analysts warn that the path to recovery will depend on the shutdown’s duration and how quickly staffing and schedules can normalize once funding is restored.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

With Thanksgiving less than three weeks away, air travel disruptions are mounting as the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month, and air traffic controllers continue working without pay.

On Sunday, nearly 12,000 flights have been delayed nationwide and just over 1,000 canceled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.

In Sacramento, roughly 5% of departures are delayed and 1% canceled as 7 A.M. , with officials warning those numbers could grow if the shutdown continues.

To relieve pressure on the system, the FAA has ordered an initial 4% reduction in operations and will ramp that down to 6% on November 11, 8% on November 13, and 10% by Friday, November 14.

The FAA estimates that reaching a 10% reduction could translate to about 4,400 flight cancellations per day.

The timing raises alarms ahead of the Thanksgiving rush, typically the busiest stretch of the year, now just two and a half weeks away. Even modest daily reductions can ripple across the network, turning localized slowdowns into nationwide delays and cancellations.

FlightAware’s data reflect broad system stress, and further reductions could intensify disruptions if the shutdown drags on.

Travelers departing from Northern California are being urged to monitor flight status closely, build in extra time, and be prepared for rolling schedule changes as the FAA’s phased reductions take effect through next week.

Airlines may consolidate or trim flights proactively to align with reduced airspace capacity. Officials and industry analysts warn that the path to recovery will depend on the shutdown’s duration and how quickly staffing and schedules can normalize once funding is restored.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel