Travel delays were mounting at airports across the U.S. on Friday as the government shutdown continued, putting increased pressure on air traffic controllers who have now been working without pay for a month.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that travelers will begin to see more flight disruptions the longer controllers go without a paycheck. Airports serving the New York City area—including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport—were experiencing delays averaging around two hours, according to the FAA.
“Currently nearly 50 percent of major air traffic control facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 90 percent of air traffic controllers are out at New York-area facilities,” the FAA said in a statement posted on X Friday evening.
Staffing shortages can occur both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions.
Despite isolated staffing problems that surfaced throughout October, many U.S. airports had been managing relatively well. However, recent data from Cirium suggests staffing-related disruptions may be spreading. Many major U.S. airports on Thursday saw below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times.
For example, staffing-related delays at Orlando International Airport on Thursday averaged nearly four and a half hours at times. It is important to note that this data does not distinguish between causes of delays such as staffing shortages or bad weather.
Last weekend, a shortage of controllers also led the FAA to issue a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours on Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.
Most air traffic controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown, according to the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). This leaves little time for side jobs that could help cover bills, mortgage payments, and other expenses—unless controllers call out.
Duffy also highlighted that many controllers are struggling to get to work because they cannot afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck since the shutdown began on Tuesday.
“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.
It is worth noting that even before the shutdown, the FAA was dealing with a long-standing shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers nationwide. The ongoing shutdown and resulting financial strain on controllers are only exacerbating this critical issue.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/air-traffic-controller-shortages-cause-widespread-flight-delays-rcna241284
