AND AS THE SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON, THE LOGISTICS FOR PEOPLE TRAVELING GET TRICKIER. THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS ONE OF DOZENS OF AIRPORTS REQUIRED TO REDUCE AIR TRAFFIC, AS AIRPORTS NOW DEAL WITH A SHORTAGE OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS WHO ARE WORKING WITHOUT PAY. WESH HAYLEY CROMBLEHOLME IS LIVE THERE TONIGHT FOR US, AND HAYLEY OFFICIALS ARE WARNING US THAT THINGS COULD GET A LOT WORSE THAN THEY ARE RIGHT NOW. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. AND TODAY WASN’T GREAT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FLIGHT BOARD BEHIND ME HERE, ACTUALLY A LOT OF GREEN AND YELLOW. BUT AFTER TALKING TO THE AIRPORT, THEY TOLD ME AROUND 42 FLIGHTS WERE PROJECTED TO BE CANCELED HERE AT MCO TODAY. AS PART OF THAT FAA EMERGENCY ORDER CURBING SOME OF THE AIR TRAFFIC. AND THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION SAID TODAY IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE THIS WEEKEND IF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DOESN’T END. AT THE ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. FLIERS WERE STILL ROLLING IN AND OUT DESPITE FAA EMERGENCY ORDER REQUIRING A REDUCTION IN FLIGHTS HERE AND AT DOZENS OF AIRPORTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THOSE PASSENGERS ARRIVING FROM CHICAGO ARE HERE. SOME PASSENGERS STILL EXPERIENCING A PRETTY NORMAL TRAVEL DAY, DESPITE AN ESTIMATED 42 FLIGHTS CANCELED HERE TUESDAY. OVERALL, THE DELAYS AREN’T TOO TERRIBLE, AND PEOPLE EXPRESSED SYMPATHY FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WORKING THROUGH THE SHUTDOWN. WE GOT TO BE MINDFUL THAT EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN WORKING WITHOUT PAY. ONE PASSENGER TOLD WESH TWO SHE HAD A FLIGHT ISSUE OF A DIFFERENT KIND TUESDAY. SHE SAID SHE GOT TO THE AIRPORT AT 4 A.M. TRYING TO GET TO FAMILY IMPACTED BY THE STORM THAT HIT JAMAICA. YES, I’M TRYING TO GET SOME FOOD DOWN, BUT WHEN SHE GOT TO THE AIRPORT, SHE SAID SHE FOUND OUT THE TICKETS SHE BOUGHT WAS A SCAM. I GOT AN ITINERARY. ITINERARY, AND SO I THOUGHT I WAS OKAY. SHE BOOKED A NEW FLIGHT FOR WEDNESDAY, BUT WITH THE DISRUPTIONS THIS WEEK, I’M WORRIED THAT THE FLIGHT WILL MAKE IT OUT. I’M WORRIED ABOUT COMING BACK. YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST SO MANY THINGS. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION SEAN DUFFY SAID TUESDAY IF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DOESN’T END THE SITUATION AT AIRPORTS WILL GET WORSE WITH THE HOLIDAY TRAVEL SEASON LOOMING. WITH THE SENATE STRIKING A DEAL, DUFFY URGED LAWMAKERS TO GET TO WORK. THERE’S A LOT OF THANKSGIVING TRAVEL. WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN DURING THAT TIME FRAME? I’M GOING TO TELL YOU WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET TO THANKSGIVING. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THIS FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. A BIG DISRUPTION THUS FAR. MASSIVELY MORE DISRUPTION AS WE COME INTO THE WEEKEND. IF THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T OPEN IT IS IT IS GOING TO RADICALLY SLOW DOWN. SO SO THE HOUSE HAS TO DO ITS WORK. NOW, THIS REDUCTION IN AIR TRAFFIC, IT’S BEEN A PHASED IN APPROACH. SO THEY STARTED SMALL WORKING ITS WAY UP. AND IT DOESN’T SEEM THAT WE’VE REACHED THE PEAK HERE AT MCO YET. WE HEARD FROM THE AIRPORT LAST WEEK. THEY SAID THEY EXPECTED TO REACH THAT FULL PERCENT, 10% REDUCTION IN AIR TRAFFIC BY THIS FRIDAY. LIVE AT T
More MCO flights canceled as FAA emergency order continues
Updated: 10:42 PM EST Nov 11, 2025
The Orlando International Airport said Tuesday that an estimated 42 flights were canceled as part of an ongoing FAA emergency order reducing air traffic. The Secretary of Transportation said Tuesday the situation at many airports will get worse by the weekend if the government shutdown doesn’t end. Some passengers at the airport Tuesday were still experiencing a fairly normal travel day despite the flight cancellations. “Overall, the delays aren’t too terrible,” said passenger Greg Brown. “We gotta be mindful that everyone here has been working without pay,” he said of the ongoing disruptions. One passenger told WESH 2 she had a flight issue of a different kind Tuesday. She said she got to the airport at 4 a.m., trying to get to family impacted by the storm that hit Jamaica. “I’m trying to get some food down, whatever supplies that I can for them,” Denise Spence said. But when she got to the airport, she said she found out the ticket she bought was a scam. “I got an itinerary, so I thought I was okay,” she said. Spence said she booked a new flight for Wednesday, but with the disruptions this week, “I’m worried that the flight will make it out,” she said. “I’m worried about coming back, you know, it’s just so many things…”.Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Tuesday if the government shutdown doesn’t end, the situation at airports will get worse with the holiday travel season looming. With the Senate striking a deal, Duffy urged lawmakers to get to work. “There’s a lot of Thanksgiving travel. What’s going to happen during that time frame? I’m going to tell you, we are not going to get to Thanksgiving,” Duffy said. “You’re going to see this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Big disruption thus far, massively more disruption as we come into the weekend. If the government doesn’t open, it is, it is going to radically slow down so, so the House has to do its work.”
ORLANDO, Fla. —
The Orlando International Airport said Tuesday that an estimated 42 flights were canceled as part of an ongoing FAA emergency order reducing air traffic.
The Secretary of Transportation said Tuesday the situation at many airports will get worse by the weekend if the government shutdown doesn’t end.
Some passengers at the airport Tuesday were still experiencing a fairly normal travel day despite the flight cancellations.
“Overall, the delays aren’t too terrible,” said passenger Greg Brown.
“We gotta be mindful that everyone here has been working without pay,” he said of the ongoing disruptions.
One passenger told WESH 2 she had a flight issue of a different kind Tuesday. She said she got to the airport at 4 a.m., trying to get to family impacted by the storm that hit Jamaica.
“I’m trying to get some food down, whatever supplies that I can for them,” Denise Spence said.
But when she got to the airport, she said she found out the ticket she bought was a scam.
“I got an itinerary, so I thought I was okay,” she said.
Spence said she booked a new flight for Wednesday, but with the disruptions this week,
“I’m worried that the flight will make it out,” she said. “I’m worried about coming back, you know, it’s just so many things…”.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Tuesday if the government shutdown doesn’t end, the situation at airports will get worse with the holiday travel season looming.
With the Senate striking a deal, Duffy urged lawmakers to get to work.
“There’s a lot of Thanksgiving travel. What’s going to happen during that time frame? I’m going to tell you, we are not going to get to Thanksgiving,” Duffy said. “You’re going to see this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Big disruption thus far, massively more disruption as we come into the weekend. If the government doesn’t open, it is, it is going to radically slow down so, so the House has to do its work.”