A: Hey there! You know what's up?
B: Not really, what's new?

A: Man, the U.S. government is having a big problem! They're cutting back on flights at 40 places due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
B: Whoa, really? That sounds serious! Which cities are affected?

A: Major cities like New York, Washington, L.A., Chicago, and Houston. The government officials say it's because of this long shutdown they can't agree on a spending bill.
B: Wow, that must be causing a lot of trouble! So, controllers are not coming to work because they aren't being paid?

A: Exactly! They said the cuts are necessary for air safety, but the major airlines plan to keep running their long-haul international flights and domestic routes.
B: That's good at least! But what about those who have flights cancelled?

A: Well, they say they will offer alternative flights or refunds. But some are worried that the Thanksgiving holiday travel might be affected because it gets really crowded this time of year.
B: Yeah, I can see why people would be concerned. What can we do to help end this shutdown?

A: I've heard some lawmakers are talking about passing a stopgap spending bill, but no agreement has been made yet... :/