Business
Airlines warn flight cancellations will continue even after shutdown ends
A board shows two cancelled American Airlines flights and three on time at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., Nov. 7, 2025.
Brian Snyder | Reuters
Flight disruptions that have marred air travel for millions of people in recent weeks could continue even after the government shutdown ends, airlines and the secretary of Transportation said.
The Senate on Monday night passed a bill that could end the longest federal government shutdown in history, sending it to the House for a vote.
But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that won’t be an immediate fix.
“We’re going to wait to see the data on our end before we take out the restrictions in travel but it depends on controllers coming back to work,” Duffy said at a press conference at Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Duffy also warned severe disruptions over the past few days could get much worse without a deal.
The Senate vote came as staffing shortages of air traffic controllers, who are required to work without their regular paychecks in the shutdown, have delayed or canceled thousands of flights, with issues worsening in recent days. Controllers missed their second full paychecks of the shutdown this week, and some have taken up second jobs and are working with increasing levels of stress, government and union officials have said.
Even if the House passes the bill that will fund the federal government through January, airlines said they will need time to readjust.
“Airlines’ reduced flight schedules cannot immediately bounce back to full capacity right after the government reopens,” Airlines for America, a lobbying group for airlines including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, said late Monday. “It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days. With the Thanksgiving travel period beginning next week and the busy shipping season around the corner, the time to act is now to help mitigate any further impacts to Americans.”
Airlines will need time to reconfigure schedules and position planes and crews, something they were forced to quickly address with last week’s required flight cuts.
More than 5 million travelers have been affected by airline staffing issues since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, Airlines for America said . The disruptions have sent some passengers looking for alternatives, from buses to rental cars and even private jets.
Last Friday, the Trump administration started requiring commercial airlines to cut 4% of their domestic flights at 40 busy U.S. airports, with larger reductions on the way if the shutdown doesn’t end, as officials blamed the strain on air traffic controllers.
Aviation groups have said that record numbers of travelers are expected for the Thanksgiving period, with the holiday just over two weeks away.
Just over 5% of the scheduled 22,811 U.S. departures were canceled on Tuesday, a relatively light day for travel generally, according to aviation data firm Cirium. That’s down from an 8.7% cancellation rate on Monday, or 2,239 flights, and 2,633 cancellations on Sunday, or 10.2% of the schedule. Delays had also piled up with staffing shortages and bad weather at major hubs, including Chicago O’Hare.
The shutdown, like the one in late 2018 to early 2019, has thrust aviation’s strains into the spotlight. The previous shutdown, however, ended hours after a shortfall of air traffic controllers snarled air traffic in the New York area.
Aviation groups on Tuesday urged lawmakers to not only end the shutdown but to provide more Department of Transportation funding to help modernize air traffic control and hire more controllers, who were in short supply even before the shutdown began.
“The government shutdown has disrupted that work and slowed the strong momentum we have built for modernization,” the Modern Skies Coalition, which includes major airline, airport and aerospace groups such as Boeing, GE Aerospace and others, as well as labor unions, wrote in an open letter to Congress.
President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to dock pay of air traffic controllers who are absent. “All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social, adding that he would recommend $10,000 bonuses for any air traffic controllers who weren’t absent during the shutdown.
Duffy said he supported Trump’s idea and that he was concerned about the dedication and “patriotism” of controllers who haven’t shown up for work. “If we have controllers who systemically weren’t doing their job, we will take action,” he said.
Duffy said controllers would receive about 70% of their pay within two days of the shutdown ending.
A day earlier, Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union, said it took about 2½ months before the workers were made whole in the shutdown that ended in 2019.
Duffy said the shutdown has made air traffic controller staffing more challenging, with 15 to 20 of them retiring a day instead of around four retiring a day before the government closure. He said the country is roughly 2,000 controllers short of what the system needs.
“The job of keeping aviation safe and secure is tough every day, but forcing federal employees to do it without pay is unacceptable,” the Modern Skies Coalition wrote in its open letter. “We owe public servants at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other agencies supporting aviation, like the National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection, a debt of gratitude and a swift ending to this shutdown.”
The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) surged to a fresh all-time high on Tuesday, with market participants showing positive sentiments following the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approval for a $1.2 billion loan for Pakistan.
The benchmark KSE-100 Index settled at an all-time high of 169,456.38 points, up 1,153.14 points, or 0.69%, from the previous close of 168,303.24. The index climbed to an intraday high of 169,601.03, gaining 1,297.79 points.
The market rally strengthened further following the IMF’s approval of nearly $1.2 billion under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and an additional $220 million under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
The move has kept the combined $8.4 billion programme on track and significantly lifted investor confidence.
The surge was largely fuelled by strong and consistent buying from local mutual funds, which helped sustain positive momentum throughout the session. Major index contributors collectively added around 640 points to the benchmark’s gains.
Trading activity also remained robust. Total volumes crossed 1.02 billion shares, while overall turnover rose to Rs51.1 billion. K-Electric (KEL) dominated the session as the volume leader with 86.7 million shares traded.
With solid liquidity, improving macro indicators, and renewed confidence, the record close reinforces the bullish trend steering the market forward.
The IMF will release $1bn under the EFF and $200 million under the RSF, bringing total disbursements under both programmes to $3.3 bn.
“Today, the Executive Board of the IMF completed the second review of Pakistan’s economic reform program supported by the EFF and the first review of Pakistan’s program supported by the RSF,” the IMF said in a statement.
This decision, it said, allows for an immediate disbursement of around $1 billion under the EFF and around $200 million under the RSF, bringing total disbursements under the two arrangements to about $3.3 billion
The IMF has described the implementation of the ongoing loan programmes as “strong” and has assured the government of continued support for its economic reforms. The release of $1.2bn is expected to further bolster Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves.
.png?width=1200&height=800&crop=1200:800 "Save on Christmas gifts for the whole team with Amazon Business")
As office party season reaches its peak and Christmas jumpers across the country are dusted off for their annual outing, it’s time to get gifts for the team sorted. Whether you own or run a business, showing those you’ve worked with this year that you appreciate them has never been easier thanks to Amazon Business. With quantity discounts, deals and promotions available over a wide range of categories, finding the perfect thank you is only a few clicks away. Keep reading for ideas on what to buy your employees and clients this Christmas.
Shop for Christmas gifts at Amazon Business now
Food and drink
Nothing says Christmas has arrived quite like eating, drinking and being merry. From indulgent cheese and wine sets to classic single malts from Scotland’s finest distilleries, there are hundreds of beautiful options to choose from if you want to give a touch of decadence this festive season.
Tech and gadgets
For the more tech-savvy amongst your team, why not give the gift of a gadget? From Kindles to smart watches, headphones to speakers, Amazon Business is your one-stop shop for electronics.
Wellness and self-care
After a year of hard work, Christmas is the perfect time to focus on self-care. Give your team a head start on the January wellbeing drive with a pampering gift that’s just for them. You can’t go wrong with an essential oils bath set, or a luxurious men’s wash set with a stylish washbag to boot.
Shop for Christmas gifts at Amazon Business now
Home and kitchen
Score a home run with your Christmas gifting with useful gadgets for the kitchen and round the house. From savvy robotic vacuum cleaners to chic electric corkscrews, Amazon Business has everything you could possibly need to make life at home a little easier.
Toys and games
Discover gifts that keep on giving with brilliant family games that will bring joy for years to come. With great prices on original games like Herd Mentality, Gullible and Six Second Scribbles, Amazon Business shows that corporate gifting doesn’t have to be stuffy and serious.
Sports and outdoor
For outdoorsy types, there’s no limit to how creative you can get with gifting. These hand warmers make a perfect Secret Santa gift for early morning runners, whilst this stylish flask is a great companion for keen hikers.
Gift cards and vouchers
Stumped on what to get for your clients this Christmas? You cannot go wrong with a gift card. Simply select your chosen amount and enter the email address of the lucky recipient. With inboxes overflowing in the lead up to the Christmas break, this is one email they’ll be very happy to receive.
Buy more, save more
Christmas can be an expensive time of year for business owners, but with some savvy shopping you can avoid accruing a receipt longer than Santa’s list. Unlock quantity discounts from just two units with Amazon Business, so you can get your gifting sorted while enjoying savings with business-exclusive pricing.
Find out more about Quantity Discounts
Shop for Christmas gifts at Amazon Business now
Get access to business-exclusive discounts today
Sign in to your Business Account to access business benefits and special pricing. Don’t have an Amazon Business account yet? Don’t worry. All you’ll need is to create a free account, which you can create in a few simple steps:
- Go to business.amazon.co.uk or download and open the Amazon Business app on your device.
- Click the “Create free account” button and fill in details such as your name, work email, and create a new password.
- Click “Create your Amazon account” and then verify your new account via email or phone by entering the one-time password sent to you.
- You’re ready to shop! Once Amazon verifies your business, you’re ready to start shopping and saving.
Visit business.amazon.co.uk to get your Christmas gifts sorted today.
Last Updated:
Pankaj Chaudhary confirmed 50.14 lakh central government employees and 69 lakh pensioners will benefit from the 8th Central Pay Commission.
8th Pay Commission Implementation
8th Pay Commission: Pankaj Chaudhary, minister of state in the Ministry of Finance, clarified that the total number of government employees currently stands at 50.14 lakh, and there are approximately 69 lakh pensioners, who will get the benefits from the 8th Pay Commission.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha dated December 8, 2025, the minister said “the number of central government employees is 50.14 lakh, and the number of pensioners is 69 lakh approximately.”
When asked the date of implementation of the 8th CPC, the Minister clarified that it will be decided by the government that the commission will make its recommendations within 18 months from the date of its constitution.
The minister was asked plans for allocation of funds for the 8th CPC in the 2026-27 budget, the MoS said it will make appropriate provision of funds for implementing the accepted recommendations of the 8th CPC. It will devise methodology and procedure for formulating its recommendations.
The finance ministry has stated that the 8th Central Pay Commission will submit its recommendations on key matters such as pay, allowances, pensions and other related issues. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary clarified the government’s position in response to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha from members Javed Ali Khan and Ramji Lal Suman, who had asked whether a revision of pensions for central government employees is being considered under the 8th CPC.
No Proposal To Merger DA, DR With Basic Pay
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had said earlier the central government has notified the constitution of the 8th Central Pay Commission, and there is no proposal as of now to merge the existing dearness allowance (DA) or dearness relief (DR) with the basic pay.
“No proposal regarding merger of the existing dearness allowance with the basic pay is under consideration with the government at present. In order to adjust the cost of living and to protect basic pay/ pension from erosion in real value on account of inflation, the rates of DA/ DR are revised periodically every six months on the basis of the All India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (AICPI-IW) released by Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment,” Chaudhary said in response to a query in the Lok Sabha.
He said the government has notified Resolution dated November 3, 2025, for the constitution of the Eighth Central Pay Commission. A copy of the Notification is enclosed at Annexure-1.
Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. December 09, 2025, 17:45 IST
Read More
Swinger to make 70 staff redundant, loss of Versace orders proves decisive
OpenAI, Anthropic, and Block Are Teaming Up to Make AI Agents Play Nice
Ayeza Khan stuns fans with vibrant saree looks
-
Entertainment1 week agoSadie Sink talks about the future of Max in ‘Stranger Things’
-
Sports1 week agoIndia Triumphs Over South Africa in First ODI Thanks to Kohli’s Heroics – SUCH TV
-
Fashion1 week agoResults are in: US Black Friday store visits down, e-visits up, apparel shines
-
Politics1 week agoElon Musk reveals partner’s half-Indian roots, son’s middle name ‘Sekhar’
-
Tech1 week agoPrague’s City Center Sparkles, Buzzes, and Burns at the Signal Festival
-
Sports1 week agoBroncos secure thrilling OT victory over Commanders behind clutch performances
-
Business1 week agoCredit Card Spends Ease In October As Point‑Of‑Sale Transactions Grow 22%
-
Sports1 week agoF1 set for final-race showdown as Verstappen exploits McLaren blunder | The Express Tribune