WASHINGTON — More than 1,400 flights to, from, or within the United States were canceled Saturday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered airlines to reduce traffic amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Nearly 6,000 additional flights were delayed, down from more than 7,000 on Friday, according to FlightAware.

Earlier in the week, the FAA announced plans to cut air travel capacity by up to 10% at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports as unpaid air traffic controllers report fatigue and staffing shortages.

The cuts are being phased in, beginning with a 4% reduction Friday, rising to 6% by Nov. 11, 8% by Nov. 13, and reaching the full 10% by Nov. 14.

Saturday marked the 39th day of the longest government shutdown in US history, with Republicans and Democrats still deadlocked over a funding resolution.

The impact on everyday Americans is widening, from reductions in food aid payments to nationwide flight disruptions. Senators remained in Washington through the weekend for bipartisan negotiations.

American Airlines urged lawmakers to “reach an immediate resolution” to end the shutdown.

New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport experienced some of the worst delays, with Saturday arrivals averaging more than four hours late and departures running 1.5 hours behind schedule, according to the FAA.

Charlotte Douglas International, Newark Liberty, and Chicago O’Hare recorded the most cancellations.

Departures to other major hubs were also severely affected, with flights bound for JFK delayed by nearly three hours, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson by more than 2.5 hours, and LaGuardia by about an hour.

Private jet operations are also restricted.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X that private aircraft are being diverted to smaller airfields to allow controllers to “focus on commercial aviation.”

The FAA says the cuts are necessary to maintain safety as controllers — classified as essential workers — continue working without pay. Unions say many controllers are calling in sick or taking second jobs to cover basic expenses.

About 1.4 million federal employees have either been working without pay or furloughed since the shutdown began on Oct. 1.

TSA officers, including most of the agency’s 64,000 staff, are also unpaid, raising concerns about airport security staffing heading into the busy Thanksgiving travel season.

During the 35-day shutdown in 2018–2019, as many as 10% of TSA employees stayed home rather than work without pay. — Agencies