Flight Delays Persist as Weather and Shutdown Fallout Collide

The shutdown may be behind us, but thousands of passengers are still caught in the fallout. Flight cancellations and delays are still stacking up, impacting major airports nationwide.

FlightAware reported more than 990 cancellations by 9 am ET on Thursday, and federal officials warn that travelers should expect the disruptions to stretch beyond today.

Why the Delays Are Still Happening

Political gridlock caused the initial slowdown, and major airports are still working through the backlog. The Department of Transportation announced that 6 percent of scheduled flights at 40 major airports will remain canceled on Thursday, a slightly reduced figure from the earlier plan to raise cancellations to 8 percent.

Airlines say they are pushing hard to stabilize operations. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS Mornings that staffing is improving faster than expected, a shift he says is already making a difference.