Demand for flights on private jets has been on the rise during the U.S. government shutdown as commercial air travel headaches have worsened, the CEO of private jet charter and fractional ownership company Flexjet told CNBC.
More than 17,000 U.S. commercial flights were delayed over the weekend, partly due to major staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities coast to coast, according to FlightAware. That was on top of several hundred preplanned cancellations after the Trump administration last week ordered U.S. commercial airlines to cut their schedules in 40 major U.S. airports by an initial 4%, with the potential to increase to as much as 10% by the end of the week, blaming strains on air traffic controllers.
The Senate made progress toward a potential deal to end the shutdown over the weekend and into Monday, but an agreement would still need approval by Congress.
Air traffic controllers are required to work during a shutdown, but like other essential employees have been working without their regular paychecks since it began on Oct. 1.
The disruptions sent travelers around the country scrambling for alternatives. Car rental company Hertz
