U.S. airlines and travelers slogged through a second day of flight cuts across the country on Saturday as the government shutdown was expected to drive more cancellations in the days to come.

The Federal Aviation Administration instructed airlines to cut 4% of flights on Saturday at 40 major airports because of the shutdown. The cuts will rise to 6% on Tuesday and then to 10% by November 14.

The cuts, which began at 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) on Friday, include about 700 flights from the four largest carriers – American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.

Airlines will cut fewer flights on Saturday than Friday because of lower overall volume. United will cut 168 flights, down from 184 Friday, while Southwest will cancel just under 100 flights, down from 120.

During the record 39-day government shutdown, 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 security screeners have been forced to work without pay, leading to increased absenteeism. Many air traffic controllers were notified on Thursday that they would receive no compensation for a second pay period next week.

The Trump administration has ramped up pressure on Congressional Democrats to agree to a Republican plan to fund the federal government, which would allow it to reopen.

Raising the specter of dramatic air-travel disruptions is one such effort. Democrats contend Republicans are to blame for the shutdown because they refuse to negotiate over extending health insurance subsidies.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it was possible that he could require 20% cuts in air traffic if things get worse and more controllers do not show up for work.

“I assess the data,” Duffy said. “We’re going to make decisions based on what we see in the airspace.”

Separate from the cancellations, absences of air traffic controllers on Friday forced the FAA to delay hundreds of flights at 10 airports including Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Newark. More than 5,600 flights were delayed Friday.

Earlier this week, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said 20% to 40% of controllers were not showing up for work on any given day.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)

President Donald Trump on Saturday morning proposed that Senate Republicans scrap Obamacare, which he called “the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World,” and instead direct the hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for insurance companies to the American people.

“I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars currently being sent to money sucking Insurance Companies in order to save the bad Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE, and have money left over,” he posted to Truth Social.

“In other words, take from the BIG, BAD Insurance Companies, give it to the people, and terminate, per Dollar spent, the worst Healthcare anywhere in the World, ObamaCare,” Trump added.

The president also threw in an “unrelated” comment, writing, “we must still terminate the Filibuster!”

Truth Social

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) said he agreed with Trump and proposed Health Savings Account-style accounts for Americans with the returned money.

“I’m writing the bill right now,” he said on X. “We must stop taxpayer money from going to insurance companies and instead give it directly to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the health care they want. This will increase competition & drive down costs.”

Totally agree, @POTUS! I’m writing the bill right now.

We must stop taxpayer money from going to insurance companies and instead give it directly to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the health care they want. This will increase competition & drive down costs. pic.twitter.com/GbTdbTWP8b

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) November 8, 2025

Last month, Trump similarly slammed Obamacare, posting on Truth Social, “As I have said for years, OBAMACARE IS A DISASTER! Rates are going through the roof for really bad healthcare!!! Do something Democrats!!!”

The government has been shut down since October 1, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Republicans say Democrats are at fault, since they have refused to vote more than a dozen times for a clean continuing resolution bill that maintains current funding levels without any policy changes, and are instead demanding certain Obamacare subsidies.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said this past week that Democrats want to force American taxpayers to fund health care for illegal immigrants, leading to the stalemate. Johnson said last month that there needs to be serious reform to Obamacare.

“The expiring ObamaCare subsidy at the end of the year is a serious problem,” he said. “If you look at it objectively, you know that it is subsidizing bad policy. We’re throwing good money at a bad, broken system, and so it needs real reforms.”

Democrats say Republicans are to blame for the shutdown because they aren’t on board with the Obamacare subsidies they want.

Democrats view health care as a winning issue for them and reportedly want to make it the centerpiece of the midterm elections. “I think that one of the reasons of many that the Democrats had so much success is an appreciation the Democrats are trying to protect health care for the American people,” Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said on Wednesday, one day following Democrat success at the polls.

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