The nation’s air travel system is buckling under the weight of the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, raising fears of major disruptions ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, flight delays and cancellations have surged, snarling operations at airports across the country.

Major hubs along the East Coast — including Newark, Washington, D.C., and Boston — reported some of the highest numbers of delayed flights, while large airports in Chicago, Dallas–Fort Worth, Los Angeles and Atlanta also experienced significant disruptions.

Newark Liberty International in New Jersey saw the most flight delays this week among 28 major U.S. airports, with 1,237, followed by Chicago O’Hare with 1,196, according to FlightAware.

This week alone, more

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