More than 4,000 flights were delayed across the United States on Monday as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grapples with staffing shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown, now in its 19th day.
According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, a total of 4,445 flights within, into, or out of the US had been affected by Monday afternoon, with 67 flights cancelled. The FAA reported that air traffic control staffing issues had delayed travel at airports in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta and New Jersey late on Sunday, with more than 20 percent of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines flights also delayed.
The agency said numerous staffing triggers had been received for the Sunday evening shift, and flights could also be delayed in Las Vegas and Phoenix due to air traffic control absences. Most airport issues appeared resolved by Monday morning, though a staffing trigger remained in place in Philadelphia, affecting traffic into Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Some 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to work without pay during the shutdown. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted on Fox & Friends that many controllers are seeking alternative income to support their families.
Earlier this month, over 23,000 flights were delayed in a week, with Duffy attributing more than half of delays to staffing issues, compared to the usual 5 percent. Despite this, he urged workers to 'show up for work'. Air traffic control has become a flashpoint in the shutdown debate, with unions and airlines calling for a swift resolution. In 2019, a 35-day shutdown saw increased absences by controllers and TSA officers, leading to extended wait times and pressure on lawmakers to end the standoff.
