Airlines canceled flights at 40 of the busiest U.S. airports on Friday to comply with an order from the FAA amid the longest government shutdown in history.

The cuts are in response to air traffic controller shortages – who've been working without pay. 

At RNO, the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority has partnered with The Children’s Cabinet to deliver critical resources directly to impacted federal employees at the Reno airport.

“This shutdown has now become the longest in our nation’s history, and its impacts are growing,” said Daren Griffin, President/CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority. “We’re seeing flight cancellations ripple through our airport, yet our federal partners continue showing up every day to keep passengers safe and operations steady. They deserve our support, and they have it.”

"The Reno-Tahoe International Airport is the front door to our community and is often the first and last impression visitors have of our city and the region," said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. "Federal employees play an essential role in keeping that experience safe, efficient and welcoming. Their dedication helps ensure our airport continues to connect this region to the nation and the world, and reflects the strong spirit of service that defines our community."

If you'd like to donate, contributions can be made at www.childrenscabinet.org or by calling 775-287-6883 and mentioning that your donation is for federal airport employees.

“We’re grateful for the partnership with the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority and for the community’s generosity,” said Kim Young, CEO of The Children’s Cabinet. “Every donation—big or small—helps us provide stability for families facing hardship. Together, we can ensure these federal employees feel supported while they continue serving our community.”

RNO remains open and operational during the shutdown. On Friday, the first day of reductions, RNO reported at least 12 cancellations, 9% of total commercial flights, and several delays tied to the nationwide slowdown.

While the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA) is not a federal organization and remains fully operational, the shutdown continues to impact federal partners such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the FAA. 

The 40 airports, including Harry Reid International in Las Vegas, span more than two dozen states.

The FAA said the reductions would start at 4% and ramp up to 10% by Nov. 14. They are to be in effect between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and impact all commercial airlines.

Plenty of nervousness remained, as more canceled flights are expected in the coming days. Airports in Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Dallas led the way with the most disruptions, and long security lines added to travelers’ woes.

The upheaval will intensify the longer the shutdown lasts and could become chaotic if it extends into the Thanksgiving holiday, just weeks from now.

Transportation secretary says more flight cuts may be needed

Sean Duffy said that every day the shutdown continues the situation with more controllers calling out of work may get worse.

So additional flight cuts might be needed -- particularly after controllers receive nothing on payday next Tuesday for the second time.

“If this shutdown doesn’t end relatively soon, the consequence of that is going to be more controllers don’t come to work,” Duffy said. “And then we’re going to have to continue to assess the pressure in the air space and make decisions that may again move us from 10% to 15%, maybe to 20. I don’t want to see that.”

(The Associated Press contributed to this report, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority contributed to this report.)