(MENAFN) Over 1,400 flights to, from, or within the United States were cancelled on Saturday as airline traffic reductions continued for a second day due to the federal government shutdown. Nearly 6,000 flights were delayed, a slight improvement from Friday’s more than 7,000 delays, according to reports.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier instructed airlines to reduce air travel capacity by up to 10% at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, citing fatigue among air traffic controllers who are working without pay during the ongoing shutdown.

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

Lawmakers were in Washington over the weekend engaging in bipartisan negotiations to end the impasse, which is increasingly affecting Americans through cuts to food aid and widespread flight disruptions.

American Airlines urged officials in Washington to “reach an immediate resolution to end the shutdown.”

Travelers faced particularly long waits at Newark Liberty International Airport, where arrivals were delayed by an average of more than four hours and departures by about 1.5 hours. The airports with the highest number of cancellations included Charlotte/Douglas International, Newark Liberty International, and Chicago O’Hare International.

MENAFN09112025000045017640ID1110316104