LOS ANGELES — Traveler discomfort is expected to continue Saturday, Nov. 8, as flight delays and cancellations imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a result of staffing issues among air-traffic controllers at 40 major airports amid the ongoing federal government shutdown ramp upward.
Controllers are considered essential workers who are instructed to continue working despite the closure, and not receiving paychecks. But federal transportation officials said the issue has led to “staffing triggers” at air traffic facilities nationally, leading to “strain on the system.”
Also See: Flight cancellations kick in at LAX, ONT; 1,000 flights cut nationwideAs of 7 a.m. Saturday, 10,844 flights had been delayed and 1,110 canceled nationwide, according to the website FlightAware. This includes 20 flight delays and 19 cancellations at Los Angeles International Airport.
The federal agency reported 2,740 flight delays last weekend, with the situation only expected to worsen without a resolution to the government shutdown.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Wednesday that capacity would be reduced at 40 high-volume airports beginning Friday. According to a DOT statement issued Thursday night, flight capacity at the affected airports will be cut by 4% beginning Friday, 6% on Tuesday, 8% next Thursday and 10% by next Friday.
The Federal Aviation Administration is also limiting commercial space launches and reentries to the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time. Parachute operations and photo missions near affected airports were also being prohibited.
Airports in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Ontario are among those impacted by the capacity cuts, but airfields not among the 40 on the list could still see ripple-effect impacts on flight operations.
LAX is the busiest airfield in California and among the top five in the nation.
“My department has many responsibilities, but our number one job is safety,” Duffy said in a statement Thursday night. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about assessing the data and alleviating building risk in the system as controllers continue to work without pay. It’s safe to fly today, and it will continue to be safe to fly next week because of the proactive actions we are taking.”
At San Diego International Airport, there had been 10 flights delays as of 7 a.m. Saturday and 13 cancellations, FlightAware reported .
No delays or cancellations were listed for Ontario International Airport.
Airlines have been issuing alerts to passengers to be aware of possible flight impacts.
United Airlines posted a message on its website stating, “We’re making updates to our schedule and will let you know if your flight is affected as soon as possible, but anyone flying between Nov. 6 and 13 can request a refund or reschedule for free.”
Travelers arrive at Terminal 4 of Ontario International Airport in September 2025. Ontario International Airport is listed among the 40 busiest hubs nationally that will see flights cut starting Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, due to the government shutdown, according to the Associated Press. (File photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)Southwest Airlines posted a notice saying “the vast majority” of its customers will not be affected, but said anyone with flights booked through Wednesday can adjust their travel plans at no cost, “or receive a refund if they choose not to travel, regardless of whether their flight is affected.”
“We will communicate directly with affected customers as soon as possible,” according to Southwest.
Delta Air Lines also advised customers of flight reductions, and provided guidance for travelers about how they can change or cancel their flights without any financial penalties.
Frontier Airlines stated that it expects most of its flights to operate as planned, but it will communicate with passengers whose travel plans may be impacted by the cuts.
“Customers whose flights are canceled or delayed for more than three hours (domestic flights) or six hours (international flights) are able to rebook or to request a refund,” according to the airline.
Related Articles
Flight cancellations kick in at LAX, ONT; 1,000 flights cut nationwide LAX, Ontario face flight reductions starting Friday amid shutdown measures Flight delays persist as government shutdown leads to air traffic controller shortages Hollywood Burbank Airport returns to normal amid ongoing nationwide air traffic shortages After 40 years, Airtel Plaza Hotel at Van Nuys Airport to close its doors
Hence then, the article about weekend flight delays cancellations climb in southern california as government shutdown drags on was published today ( ) and is available on Los Angeles Daily News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Weekend flight delays, cancellations, climb in Southern California, as government shutdown drags on )
Also on site :
- Supermarket timings for Boxing Day and New Year revealed for Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl and more
- Trump rants about Epstein in Christmas Day post claiming he dropped ties with sex offender ‘long before it became fashionable’
- ABL Bio Receives Upfront Payment for License, Research and Collaboration Agreement for Grabody Platform and Equity Investment from Lilly