Thanksgiving Airlift Cancelled: Controllers Ditch Paychecks, Not Turkeys
In a Thanksgiving plot twist worthy of a holiday disaster flick, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on CNN's 'State of the Union' that thousands of flights planned for November 8 are getting grounded due to air traffic controllers ghosting work after missing over a month of paychecks amid the 2025 government shutdown. With 6.5% of flights canceled and a staggering 72% delayed, travelers face a 'substantial' chance of seeing their family via text instead of terminal hugs. Controllers threaten side jobs just to pay bills, while pilots and flight attendants moonlight as snack delivery angels. Airlines dodge compensation except mandatory refunds, even as the FAA's 'Misery Map' tracks chaos at 17 major US airports. Advice: keep your airline app closer than your mashed potatoes.
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Air traffic controllers getting paid in unpaid bills, pilots doubling as meal-delivery drones, and 72% of flights playing hide and seek on Thanksgiving weekend. Guess nothing says family reunion like bonding over cancellation lines and a shared sense of despair.
If Thanksgiving travel needed a gravy thickener, try missing paychecks and a government shutdown halting flights at 17 airports for seasoning. Nothing like a side of chaos with your stuffing.
Forget pumpkin pie: this yearâs Thanksgiving special includes unexpected grounding, pilots passing out free meals, and air traffic controllers moonlighting. Bonus points if your flight isnât next on the chopping block.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 11/9/2025 | Author: Lakshmi Varanasi
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