Washington: Airlines across the United States cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday as the ongoing government shutdown continued to strain the nation’s air travel system.

By midday, around 780 flights, approximately 3 per cent of the 25,000 scheduled nationwide, had been cancelled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Officials warned that cancellations could rise sharply in the coming days as more air traffic controllers are forced to seek other employment due to unpaid work.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that flight reductions could surge to as high as 20 per cent by the Thanksgiving holiday if the shutdown continues.

“If this continues, and I have more controllers who decide they can't come to work and control the airspace, but instead have to take a second job, with that, you might see 10 per cent would have been a good number, because we might go to 15 per cent or 20 per cent,” Duffy told Fox News. “This is a moment-by-moment assessment," he added. "We're doing all we can to make sure travellers are safe as they move through the airspace.”

Air traffic controllers, classified as essential workers, are required to work even without pay during the shutdown.

The Department of Transportation has introduced a tiered reduction plan that will gradually increase flight cuts: 6 per cent on Tuesday, 8 per cent on Thursday, and 10 per cent next Friday.

Among major US carriers, American Airlines said it would cancel about 220 flights daily through the weekend. Delta Air Lines cancelled 173 flights, while United Airlines grounded 184.

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, passengers experienced severe delays on Friday, with average wait times reaching four hours, according to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory.

Airport authorities urged travellers to check flight statuses frequently and prepare for extended waits, warning that disruptions are likely to worsen as the busy holiday travel season approaches.

IANS