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As the gridlock on Capitol Hill loosens its grip and the government shutdown nears a resolution, the effects on the nation’s air travel system highlight the fragility of critical infrastructure during political standoffs.

As the shutdown dragged on, its ripple effects spread across the nation’s air network, fueling a steady climb in flight delays and cancellations by early November.

The crisis hit an agency already under pressure.

Even before the shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration was grappling with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.

With Congress deadlocked, about 13,000 controllers and 50,000 TSA agents are working without pay.

That strain has only deepened as nationwide staffing sho

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