Despite the Senate’s recent decision to end the record-long government shutdown, the chaos in the skies persists, with nearly 2,000 flights being canceled across the United States today. This disruption marks the fourth consecutive day of mass flight cancellations, a trend that began on Friday and intensified over the weekend.

Saturday saw international airports issuing ground stop orders, leading to approximately 1,300 flights being canceled by early afternoon. By the end of Sunday, the number of canceled flights surged to nearly 3,500. The situation has shown little improvement as Monday dawned with 1,960 cancellations already recorded by 10:30 a.m.

According to FlightAware.com, delays were also widespread, affecting 13,433 flights, and these figures are expected to rise throughout the day. Specific airports are experiencing significant disruptions, with New York’s LaGuardia Airport seeing 11 percent of its flights canceled, while Chicago Midway faced a 24 percent cancellation rate this morning.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has attributed these widespread cancellations to the need to reduce service at high-volume airports. This decision aims to prioritize safety as air traffic controllers, affected by the shutdown’s furloughs, are showing signs of stress and fatigue from being overworked. This measure is crucial to ensure operational safety amidst the ongoing challenges.

At LaGuardia Airport in New York, 11 percent of flights have been canceled and 24 percent were axed at Chicago Midway this morning.  

The cancellations have been taking place because last week, the FAA announced it would reduce service at high-volume airports to maintain safety, as air traffic controllers furloughed by the shutdown show signs of strain and being overworked.

The Senate voted 60-40 yesterday in favor of ending the government shutdown, which is currently on its 41st day, six days longer than the previous record during Trump’s first administration.

But that vote was just the first step to reopen the government. 

Nearly 2,000 flights have been canceled across the US as of Monday morning, and the number is expected to go up over the course of the day

Today marks the third day in a row that more than 1,000 flights in the country have been canceled

The cancellations were a result of the government shutdown, which Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he hoped would end soon before a vote to do so on Sunday 

The spending bill, which would fund several government agencies for the full fiscal year and the rest temporarily until January 30, 2026, still has a few steps before it fully passes in the Senate. It then must pass in the House and be signed by the president. 

It is now clear that Republican Senate leadership has enough support to pass the bill in that chamber. 

Eight members of the Democratic Senate caucus indicated they would vote in favor after cracking under six weeks of mounting pressure caused by confusion over the distribution of SNAP funds, hundreds of thousands of federal workers going unpaid and chaos at airports across the country. 

Just before the vote on Sunday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: ‘After 40 long days, I’m hopeful we can bring this shutdown to an end.’ 

The Democrats who broke rank did so after Thune promised, but did not guarantee, a mid-December vote to extend healthcare tax credits set to expire at the end of the year, which has been the major sticking point keeping Democrats from accepting the spending plan thus far. 

The agreement also guarantees federal employees laid off during the shutdown will be rehired and that backpay will be given to those who were furloughed. 

The Senate could pass the spending plan in the next few days, and it could reach the House by the end of the week. 

If Trump gives the bill the greenlight, it is expected that enough Republican representatives will back it. 

Progressive Congressional Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have pledged to resist the spending plan and delay reopening the government

The spending plan could reach the House by the end of the week, and if Trump gives the bill the greenlight, it is expected that enough Republican representatives will back it

Senators convened in their chamber on Sunday night and voted in favor of the first step to end the shutdown (stock image from previous session) 

But progressive Congressional Democrats, emboldened by the party’s key wins in several state elections last week, are pushing back against the deal because it does not guarantee extension of those healthcare tax credits. 

Senator Elizabeth Warren told reporters Sunday night: ‘I think it’s a terrible mistake. The American people want us to stand and fight for health care, and that’s what I believe we should do.’

Progressive senators have warned they will not fast-track the process for a final passage vote, which could extend the shutdown for several more days. 

And Democrats in the House have pledged their resistance too. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement: ‘We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.’

Despite the House Minority Leader’s opposition, a handful of centrist Democratic representatives are expected to vote in favor of reopening the government, which would make up for any deficits from holdouts on the Republican side of the aisle.

Although there is light at the end of the tunnel, delays and cancellations at airports could worsen over the course of the week. 

Last Friday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that one in five flights could be canceled this week if the shutdown drags on, which it will for at least several more days despite steps finally being made to end it. 

Even with progressive Democrat holdouts, the shutdown should end in time for flights to return to normal by Thanksgiving, which is one of the busiest travel periods in the US. 

Although the end of the shutdown is in sight, delays and cancellations could worsen over the course of the week

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that one in five flights could be canceled this week if the shutdown drags on, which it will for at least several more days

At a Sunday night football game outside Washington, Trump seemed optimistic about the strides made towards reopening the government. 

‘It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,’ he said. 

On Monday morning, Trump made a post on Truth Social criticizing air traffic controllers who did not go to work because they were furloughed, saying they ‘did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future.’

He also praised those who did go to work despite being unpaid as ‘GREAT PATRIOTS,’ and demanded ‘to all others, REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.’

The previous record-long shutdown during Trump’s first administration ended in large part thanks to pressures caused by airport chaos. That seems to have been the case this time around as well.