The US government shutdown, the longest in history, led to 1,723 flight cancellations in 40 airports on the first day of cuts. While mainly impacting domestic routes, Mexican airlines like Volaris and Viva Aerobus report uninterrupted operations to the US. The situation could worsen over the weekend without a Senate agreement.
On November 7, 2025, day 37 of the US government shutdown—the longest in the country's history, surpassing the previous one under Donald Trump's administration—a 4% cut in operations at 40 airports took effect. According to Cirium data, 1,723 flights were canceled nationwide, representing 2.1% of the 57,672 scheduled. The most affected airlines were United with 549 cancellations, Delta with 513, and American Airlines with 429, mostly domestic flights. Eight other airlines reported suspensions, and average delays of four to five hours occurred overnight due to staff shortages at 32 control towers in over 10 major cities.
The hardest-hit airports included Phoenix, Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, per FlightAware radar. In eight towers, staff operated overloaded, managing landings by pausing takeoffs. For the weekend, at least 800 more cancellations are expected, with possibly 1,000 additional postponements if the Senate fails to resolve the deadlock. Republicans rejected Democratic proposals to reopen the administration, with a session scheduled for Saturday.
In Mexico, authorities pledged to report impacts but issued no official statement. Volaris confirmed its US flights remain unaffected: “Volaris informs that it has not been notified of any disruptions to our flights to the US stemming from the operational cuts announced by that country's government at 40 airports. We continue operating normally.” The airline advised checking status via app or email amid social media inquiries. Viva Aerobus echoed this, including AICM routes: “All our current routes and flights to and from the United States continue operating normally and have not been affected, including flights to and from Mexico City International Airport (AICM).” It noted alternatives for AIFA restrictions from November 11 to December 10.