Airline Stocks Face Murky Outlook Following Record US Shutdown

Wall Street is souring on US airline companies, after the longest government shutdown in the country’s history crimped hopes that carriers can salvage a challenging year.

While Washington has reopened and airlines are scrambling to bring service back to normal, a chronic shortage of air traffic controllers is clouding the outlook for the closing months of 2025 — ramping up pressure on an industry already suffering after the shutdown led to thousands of federally-mandated flight cancellations.