Travel delays are piling up at airports across the U.S. due to an ongoing government shutdown. This situation is putting extra strain on air traffic controllers who haven’t been paid for a month.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that flight disruptions will worsen as controllers continue to work without pay. “Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” he said recently during a briefing near the White House. He met with Vice President JD Vance and aviation leaders to discuss the shutdown’s impact on air travel.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported staffing shortages causing delays at major airports, including Boston, San Francisco, and in the New York City area, where delays have reached about two hours on average. Nearly half of the major air traffic control facilities are currently understaffed. Alarmingly, 90% of air traffic controllers near New York are unavailable.
Staff shortages can stem from both regional control centers that manage multiple locations and individual airport towers. Fortunately, the aviation analytics firm Cirium noted that overall, October’s on-time flight performance remained strong despite isolated staffing issues. However, they also observed a troubling slowdown in national air traffic for the first time since the shutdown began on October 1. Many airports showed below-average on-time performance last Thursday, and some flights experienced delays of up to four and a half hours—though it’s difficult to pinpoint whether these were due to staffing shortages or other factors.
Last weekend, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the busiest airports worldwide, had to issue a ground stop due to a lack of available controllers. Flights were held at their origin for about two hours until the situation was resolved.
Most controllers have been working mandatory overtime, with little opportunity for side jobs to make ends meet. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association highlighted this struggle, noting that many controllers are facing financial hardship. Missing just one paycheck can hit them hard, and going without full pay for a month is simply unsustainable.
Some airports have stepped in to support federal aviation employees, providing food donations and other assistance for those who are working without pay. Before the shutdown, the FAA was already grappling with a shortage of around 3,000 air traffic controllers, making this situation even more critical.
Experts in aviation stress the need for better staffing solutions and sustainable pay to ensure the safety and efficiency of the nation’s air traffic system. As delays continue and financial strain grows, it remains crucial to find a resolution to stabilize the situation.
For further insights on aviation staffing challenges, you can visit the FAA’s official website.
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