By Shivansh Tiwary

(Reuters) -U.S. airlines were scrambling on Thursday to rejig schedules and fielding a flood of customer queries after the U.S. ordered flight cuts at some of the nation’s busiest airports, the latest travel disruption from the prolonged government shutdown.

On Wednesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he would order steep cuts citing air traffic control safety risks from the government shutdown.

The shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, has forced some 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay.

Staffing shortages have already caused tens of thousands of flight delays nationwide, with airlines estimating that at least 3.2 million travelers have been affected.

Industry sources told Reute

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