FAA Shutdown & Flight Reductions (Fall 2025)
Event Timeline
On Nov. 5 and 6, the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation announced a significant step as a result of the government shutdown, which began Oct. 1, 2025. Beginning Friday, Nov. 7, flight capacity in 40 major domestic airports will be reduced by up to 10% to avoid system failure amid rising absences and overtime demands on unpaid air traffic controllers.
Important general information
If you have been directly affected by this event and need assistance, please refer to the confirmation of coverage for applicable assistance and claims phone numbers.
We recommend that you pay close attention to the local media and work directly with the appropriate airline, cruise line, or other travel supplier for refunds, rescheduling, or modifications. If you have additional questions, contact the Travelex customer solutions team at [email protected].
The following FAQ is specific to Zurich-underwritten policies1, is provided for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as guarantee of coverage. Your specific factual situation and actual policy language will determine coverage.
Zurich will review and evaluate each claim, and a coverage determination will be made based on the specific facts, circumstances, policy language, and applicable laws and regulations of the jurisdiction. Please review your policy wording or contact the Travelex customer solutions team at [email protected] for more information.
Will I be covered for trip cancellation or trip interruption due to this situation?
Your plan may provide trip cancellation and trip interruption benefits1 for common carrier delays or cancellations as a result of an FAA mandate. The FAA has issued a directive to reduce flights at 40 airports across the country due to air traffic control staffing issues. As this is a life safety issue, this situation will be considered an FAA mandate. Travelers should retain all communications from the airline regarding the delay due to the FAA-issued directive and submit copies with their claim form.
If an airline automatically reschedules your flight due to this FAA directive that results in you arriving at destination under the delay requirement specified in the policy (12 hours) from your original arrival time, you are not eligible for Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption coverage.
If an airline provides you with the option to reschedule your flight due to this FAA directive that results in you arriving at destination under the delay requirement specified in the policy (12 hours), but you opt not to rebook, the you are not eligible for Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption coverage because the delay time requirement was not met.
If an airline cancels your flight due to an FAA directive without providing any options to rebook on a later flight, you may be eligible for Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption coverage.
If there is an FAA issued ground stop related to air traffic control staffing under the delay requirement specified in the policy (12 hours) but the ground stop results in you arriving at destination beyond the delay requirement specified in the policy (12 hours), you may be eligible for Trip Interruption coverage.
Will I be covered for travel delay due to this outage?
You may be eligible for travel delay benefits1 if you are delayed while traveling during the period specified in your policy. Travel delay may provide coverage for additional hotel, meals, and local transportation expenses while delayed, up to the coverage limit.
Will I be covered for missed connection due to this outage?
No. Your plan may provide missed connection benefits1 for delays caused by a documented traffic accident, mechanical breakdown of common carrier, or adverse weather conditions. However, this situation does not fall into any of these categories.
Is there any foreseeability date tied to any of the cancellations due to FAA orders?
No. However, the cancellation or delay must be announced after the effective date of the policy.
What can I do if I purchased a Travelex plan for my trip and my trip was rescheduled?
You can modify your policy online. Edit my policy >
What can I do if I purchased a Travelex plan for my trip and am delaying my departure and extending my return by a few days as a result of this?
If you have purchased a Travelex plan and are delaying your departure, you can modify the travel dates for your policy. Edit my policy >
How long will my policy extend coverage if I am delayed returning home due to this situation?
Your coverage will automatically extend up to seven days after your scheduled return date.
1Coverage terms and conditions may vary by state. Refer to your policy wording for applicable coverage terms and conditions.
Insurance coverages underwritten by Zurich American Insurance Company, a New York domiciled company with its principal place of business at 1299 Zurich Way, Schaumburg, IL 60196 (NAIC # 16535).
If you have questions about coverage available under our plans, please review the policy or contact us. Travelex Insurance Services Inc. 810 N. 96th Street, Suite 300, Omaha, NE 68114. Toll-free: +1.800.228.9792. Email: [email protected].
Travelex Insurance Services, Inc. CA Agency License #0D10209. Certain coverages are not available in all states. The terms and conditions of the policy described in this brief summary are governed by the individual policy document that contains the complete terms. In the event of any discrepancy between the information in this brief summary and the policy, the policy document shall govern. This is intended as a general description of certain types of insurance available to qualified customers, provided solely for informational purposes.
Policy Form Series U-TIIV-100-A CW, U-TIIN-100/110-A CW, U-TIGV-100-A CW; U-TIGN-100-A CW; in DC U-TIIV-100-A DC & U-TIGV-100-A DC; in IN U-TIIN-100/110-A IN & U-TIGV-100-A IN; in KS U-TIIN-110-A KS; in MN U-TIIV-100-B MN & U-TIGV 100-B MN; in MO U-TIIN-110-A MO; in MT U-TIIN-100/110 MT & U-TIGN-100-A MT; in NH U-TIIV-100-A NH; U-TIIV-101-B NY, U-TIIN-100 NY; in OR U-TIIV-100-A OR; in VA U-TIIV-100-A VA and U-TIGV-100-A VA; in VT U-TIIN-100/110-A VT and U-TIGN-100-A VT
