US airlines cancel over 2,200 flights as air traffic controller shortages surge during government shutdown

American Eagle and American Airlines planes sit at gates at LaGuardia Airport (LGA), in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo)

The airlines in the United States canceled more than 2,200 flights on Sunday as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air travel would fall to a “trickle” if the federal government shutdown keeps on continuing into the busy Thanksgiving travel holiday season, Reuters reported.

After the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated flight cuts at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports , major airlines were dealing with the mandate for the third day as nearly 7,000 flight delays were reported on Sunday alone, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions. Apart from Sunday’s 2,200 flights, over 1,000 flights were canceled o