Delta Air Lines has revealed it suffered an estimated US $200 million hit to its fourth-quarter pre-tax profits, after a wave of flight cancellations during November caused by a prolonged Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-mandated cutback at major U.S. airports.
The trouble stems from a 43-day federal government shutdown — the longest on record — which left thousands of air-traffic controllers and airport staff working without pay. As staffing shortages worsened, the FAA ordered a reduction in flights at 40 of the busiest U.S. airports, forcing airlines including Delta to cancel a significant portion of their domestic schedules.
Between November 7 and November 16 alone, more than 10,000 flights nationwide were cancelled or delayed — just ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel rush. Delta saw a surge in refund requests and many customers hesitated to book new travel, which together contributed to the steep revenue loss.
Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian acknowledged the disruption, calling the shutdown-related cancellations “transitory” and said the airline expects demand to rebound. He noted that bookings during the Thanksgiving week were strong, and that early data for December and early 2026 suggest a return to more normal travel patterns.
Still, the impact is far-reaching: the $200 million setback amounts to roughly 25 cents per share — a sizable dent for what had been projected as a robust holiday quarter. With the FAA having now lifted most restrictions, all eyes are on how quickly the airline industry can recover from the disruption.
