Washington, Nov 08: Airlines across the United States cancelled hundreds of flights as the continuing government shutdown deepened strains on the nation’s air travel system.

As of midday Friday, some 780 flights or roughly 3 per cent of the 25,000 scheduled nationwide had been cancelled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Cancellations could accelerate sharply in the coming days as more air traffic controllers are forced to seek other employment due to unpaid work.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that flight reductions could surge to as much as 20 per cent by the Thanksgiving holiday if the crisis persists.

“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, y

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