Washington. Airlines across the country canceled nearly a thousand flights on Friday amid the economic crisis caused by the US federal government shutdown. Although most of the schedules are normal, passengers are still in an uncomfortable position.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered the reduction of services at busy airports to ease the strain caused by excessive workload and lack of pay among air traffic controllers. Major airports in the country, including Atlanta, Dallas, Denver and Charlotte, have seen long queues and last-minute cancellations.

According to the FAA’s order, about four percent of flights have been cut. It is expected to reach 10 percent in the coming week. Transport Minister Sean Duffy has said that if the government shutdown continues, the rate could increase by 15 to 20 percent.

Passengers were forced to stand in long lines at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport in the early morning. Some of them shared their experiences of sleeping on chairs while waiting. “The lines were moving constantly, I’ve never seen a crowd like this before,” said Cara Bergeron, who was in Atlanta. ’

Some passengers had more difficulty. Karen Soika, a physician from Connecticut, was transferred to New York’s John F. Smith Hospital after her flight from Newark, New Jersey, was canceled. I had to get to Kennedy Airport. He tried to rent a car to plan to go to Utah, but it was unavailable. Eventually, he said he had to drive a cross-country truck.

Rental car companies have also reported a sharp increase in demand for one-way travel.

More than a thousand flights were cancelled on Friday alone, according to flight tanking website FlightAware. That’s five times more than Thursday. Reagan National Airport in Washington was the hardest hit. More than 80 flights, or 18 percent, were canceled.

Delta Air Lines canceled 170 flights on Friday, while American Airlines plans to cut 220 flights a day until Monday. Southwest Airlines also canceled about 120 flights. Both United and American said they were actively trying to rebook affected passengers.

The FAA’s order comes as the Trump administration is pressuring Democrats to end the government shutdown. The FAA says that the financial and mental pressure on the controllers has increased due to the lack of salaries for a month.

“We don’t want to see delays or disruption, but until safety measures are improved, flight cuts are necessary,” Duffy said. Analysts say a prolonged shutdown could have a serious impact on the U.S. air transportation system. With nearly half of U.S. air cargo being transported by passenger planes, the delays will also have supply chain impacts.

“Air travel is the backbone of the US economy,” said Greg Rifle, head of Elevate Aviation Group. This shutdown will affect all sectors, from business meetings to the travel of tourists. ’

Unless the delay is within their control, airlines must refund their cancelled flight tickets but will not have to bear the cost of food and accommodation. “Don’t panic, continue to check the status of your flight and have information on alternative routes,” travel adviser Kristina Schlegel said. ’

Analysts have warned that if the government shutdown is not ended soon, air travel could become more disruptive and expensive ahead of the holidays.