By Jacki Thrapp

The U.S. Senate convened for a rare Saturday session to address the government shutdown, as more than 1,000 flights in the United States were canceled on Nov. 8 due to a government order to reduce operations at 40 airports across the country out of safety concerns.

The reductions, ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation, started Friday, with dozens of the nation’s busiest airports—like Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and all three of New York City’s major airports—being ordered to reduce operations by 4 percent.

The scope of operation reduction will expand over the next week to 6 percent on Nov. 11, 8 percent on Nov. 13, and 10 percent on Nov. 14.

The order was issued to address safety risks and delays caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers, who have been working without pay since Oct. 1 due to the government shutdown.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport had the most cancellations on Saturday, with both airports seeing more than 100 flights cancelled, according to FlightAware.

SkyWest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and Republic Airways were the most impacted on Saturday with over 100 cancellations each.

As of 4:00 p.m. ET, airports in Atlanta, New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, and San Francisco were all under ground delays of up to four hours each.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that restrictions are in place for private jets, too.

“We’ve reduced their volume at high traffic airports — instead having private jets utilize smaller airports or airfields so busy controllers can focus on commercial aviation. That’s only fair,” Duffy wrote on X on Nov. 8.

Duffy said that any planes used for medical transports, emergencies, and law enforcement are being prioritized.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) proposed a new plan on Nov. 7 to end the shutdown.

He suggested “a simple one year extension of existing ACA tax credits to re-open the government” and to “establish [a] committee to continue negotiations for long-term lower healthcare costs.”

The Republicans have rejected it, asking Democrats to support a Republican continuing resolution (CR) that would temporarily fund the government at the level before the shutdown without additional items.

“I’m glad to see Democrats, after 38 days, back down from the maximalist and frankly insane position they’ve held since September,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said during the rare Senate hearing on Saturday.

“The only path out is supporting a clean CR so we can start a real discussion to address Democrats’ health care mess, continue the regular appropriations process, and provide relief to the American people,” Thune said in a social media post.

The airports that must reduce flights include:

ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport

ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

BOS – Boston Logan International Airport

BWI – Baltimore/Washington International Airport

CLT – Charlotte Douglas International Airport

CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport

DAL – Dallas Love Field

DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

DEN – Denver International Airport

DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

EWR – Newark Liberty International Airport

FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport

HNL – Honolulu International Airport

HOU – William P. Hobby Airport

IAD – Washington Dulles International Airport

IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport

IND – Indianapolis International Airport

JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International Airport

LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International Airport

LAX – Los Angeles International Airport

LGA – New York LaGuardia Airport

MCO – Orlando International Airport

MDW – Chicago Midway International Airport

MEM – Memphis International Airport

MIA – Miami International Airport

MSP – Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport

OAK – Oakland International Airport

ONT – Ontario International Airport

ORD – Chicago O’Hare International Airport

PDX – Portland International Airport

PHL – Philadelphia International Airport

PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

SAN – San Diego International Airport

SDF – Louisville International Airport

SEA – Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

SFO – San Francisco International Airport

SLC – Salt Lake City International Airport

TEB – Teterboro Airport

TPA – Tampa International Airport