Washington — As the federal government shutdown extends into its eighth day, the Federal Aviation Administration is reporting significant air traffic control staffing shortages, triggering flight delays at major airports across the United States.
According to an FAA operations plan, six major air traffic control facilities were understaffed on Wednesday evening. The shortages affected control towers and approach facilities serving Washington, D.C., Denver, Newark, and Orlando, as well as regional centers managing airspace over New Mexico and California.
At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the FAA warned that “probable” delays could average 31 minutes. Newark Liberty International Airport faced potential delays of up to 30 minutes due to similar staffing issues.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the economic pressure on unpaid controllers but insisted they must report for duty. “I’m encouraging air traffic controllers to show up for work. They need to go to their jobs,” he said, noting that staffing shortages were responsible for 53% of air travel delays Wednesday, a stark increase from the 5% average over the last nine months.
The disruptions have become increasingly severe. On Tuesday night, the Nashville approach facility shut down for five hours, forcing a regional center across the state to manage the airspace. Audio from LiveATC.net captured a frustrated controller telling a pilot the situation was “absolutely insane,” adding, “You can only work so many planes with so many people.” The incident led to ground delays averaging two hours for flights heading to Nashville.
On Monday, the control tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California was completely unstaffed, compelling pilots to coordinate movements themselves using a common radio frequency, a procedure normally used at much smaller airfields.
Air traffic controllers are considered essential employees and must work during the shutdown, but they are not being paid. Their next paycheck will only cover hours worked before the shutdown began. The Department of Transportation has reported an increase in sick calls from controllers since the shutdown started.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the crisis exposes the fragility of a system already strained by a decades-long staffing shortage. “Air traffic controllers don’t start a shutdown and we don’t end a shutdown,” said union President Nick Daniels. “Politicians are the ones that start the shutdown, and they’re the only ones that have the ability to end the shutdown.”
At a press conference at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, Maryland Governor Wes Moore praised the “patriot” workers staying on the job without pay. Congressman Kweisi Mfume joined him, advocating for an emergency appropriation to pay controllers and warning that the public is “beginning now to worry about flying.”
In response, Secretary Duffy blamed his political opponents, stating in a social media post, “If you’re feeling the impact of the shutdown, you can thank the radical Democrats.”
The current standoff mirrors the 2019 shutdown, which ended after widespread air traffic disruptions helped pressure President Donald Trump to agree to a temporary funding measure.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration reported it has not experienced significant slowdowns from staff callouts and remains “fully capable of facilitating safe and secure travel for passengers.”
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