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Aviation Sector Recovers After Record-Breaking US Government Shutdown
13 Nov
Summary
- 43-day government shutdown, the longest in US history, ends
- Airlines thank workers for maintaining operations without pay
- Hundreds of thousands of customers affected by widespread delays and cancellations
The 43-day government shutdown, the longest in US history, has come to an end as of November 13, 2025. Airlines have issued statements thanking their employees for stepping up and taking care of customers throughout the travel disruptions caused by the shutdown.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed pride in how the team responded, remaining "truly grateful for the federal aviation workers who faced challenging conditions for weeks without pay, all to get our customers where they needed to go safely." The airline said "hundreds of thousands" of its customers were affected by the shutdown, leading to "widespread delays and cancellations."
Delta also issued a statement thanking its staff and federal workers who worked unpaid for over 40 days. Data shows that while cancellations have decreased in recent days, the sector is still struggling to fully recover, with the 4th-worst day for cancellations since the start of 2024 occurring just last week.
American Airlines said it is "well-positioned to recover quickly" due to its operational decisions, while Delta looks forward to "bringing our operation back to full capacity over the next few days" as the industry works to deliver the expected premium experience for customers heading into the holiday season.
