Air travel buckled nationwide as the FAA, citing the prolonged government shutdown, ordered service reductions that canceled 1,330 flights Saturday and pushed delays past 5,000. Tempers flared at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson while Nashville faced a ground stop over staffing. The four biggest carriers trimmed hundreds of flights under the mandate, which scales from 4% cuts and could reach 10% if the shutdown persists. Airlines pledged refunds or rebookings, but with Thanksgiving closing in and controllers missing paychecks, anxiety is rising. Industry groups pressed Congress to end the shutdown as travelers navigated long lines, rebookings and airport switches.

Prepared by Christopher Adams and reviewed by editorial team.