Travellers across the United States were left stranded or facing long delays on Sunday as the nation witnessed its most severe day of flight disruptions since the onset of the government shutdown.

The large-scale delays and cancellations came as airlines were forced to reduce operations at 40 major airports under government orders, reported USA Today.

According to flight-tracking platform FlightAware, by 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, over 10,000 flights within, into, or out of the US had been delayed, with more than 3,200 cancelled. The day marked the highest level of disruption since the shutdown began.

Reuters reported that Delta Air Lines bore the brunt of the crisis, with 52 per cent of its mainline flights either delayed or cancelled.

The disruptions are part of a broader reduction in flight capacity imposed by the government due to severe staffing shortages.

The Trump administration ordered a 4% reduction in domestic flights at 40 key airports beginning last Friday, with the cuts expected to rise to 10% next week if the shutdown persists, according to CNBC.

Source:Ndtv