Cirium data obtained by the Chronicle shows more than 360 flights were canceled at Bay Area airports during the government shutdown. Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 13, SFO had 271 cancellations, while OAK recorded 43 and SJC 48. Overall cancellations were about 1% of flights, but daily spikes reached up to 6.9%. Airlines hope disruptions will subside before the holiday travel rush.
Government Shutdown Forces 360+ Bay Area Flight Cancellations — SFO Hardest Hit
Cirium data obtained by the Chronicle shows more than 360 flights were canceled at Bay Area airports during the government shutdown. Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 13, SFO had 271 cancellations, while OAK recorded 43 and SJC 48. Overall cancellations were about 1% of flights, but daily spikes reached up to 6.9%. Airlines hope disruptions will subside before the holiday travel rush.
10:34 PM, 11/15/2025Society
More than 360 flights canceled across Bay Area airports during government shutdown
New flight data obtained by the Chronicle from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows that the recent federal government shutdown led to more than 360 flight cancellations across the Bay Area's three major airports as air traffic controllers went unpaid for weeks.
Why cancellations spiked
The controllers' union said many air traffic controllers called in sick, resigned, or sought other work to pay their bills while furloughed, leaving some towers understaffed. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily reduced air traffic at several of the country's busiest airports to maintain safety.
Where the cancellations occurred
Of the three major Bay Area airports — San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC) — SFO was hit the hardest both in absolute numbers and share of flights affected. Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 13, Cirium's data shows:
- SFO: 271 cancellations
- OAK: 43 cancellations
- SJC: 48 cancellations
Across the three airports, cancellations accounted for roughly 1% of scheduled flights during the shutdown period, but the rate rose noticeably as the shutdown dragged on.
Daily peaks and national comparison
After the FAA announced limits on air traffic, daily cancellation rates reached local peaks: SJC saw 6.9% of flights canceled on Nov. 9, OAK had 6.7% canceled the same day, and SFO experienced a 5.8% cancellation rate on Nov. 11.
Even so, Bay Area airports fared better than some other major U.S. hubs over the same period — Cirium reported 1.7% cancellations at both Chicago and Atlanta airports and 2.9% at Newark, compared with 1.1% at SFO.
Outlook
It remains unclear when operations will fully normalize, but airlines said they expect disruptions to ease before the busy holiday travel season if staffing and federal operations stabilize.
Data: Cirium (as reported by the Chronicle). Timeframe: Oct. 1–Nov. 13. Figures reflect cancellations recorded during the government shutdown.