A fresh wave of flight delays and cancellations is sweeping across the United States, crippling major airports as critical staffing shortages take their toll.
Domino Effect Grounds Flights Nationwide
The crisis began on Monday, with significant disruptions reported at key airports in the Southwest. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas was among the first affected, alongside several airports in Arizona: Scottsdale Airport (SDL), Phoenix Deer Valley (DVT), Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (IWA), and Chandler Municipal (CHD).
The root cause is a severe lack of air traffic controllers, a direct consequence of the ongoing government shutdown. This has forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement drastic measures, limiting take-offs to just 12 flights per hour from the impacted regions of Arizona and Nevada.
Widespread Travel Disruption Across America
The local ground delays have triggered a domino effect, disrupting departure times on nearly all major US flight routes. The FAA has confirmed that routes along the West Coast, Midwest, and East Coast are all experiencing significant hold-ups due to the staffing problems concentrated in the Southwest.
The disruption window is substantial, expected to last from 10:30 am ET until at least 6:00 pm on Monday. During this period, the FAA estimates that average delays will be around 34 minutes per flight, with some passengers facing waits of up to nearly three hours.
In a further escalation, dozens of other major airports have grounded all private jets and charter flights for the day. This includes major hubs in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC.
No End in Sight Until Shutdown Resolves
Officials from the FAA and the US Department of Transportation have issued a stark warning, stating that airline cancellations are likely to continue growing each day until the government shutdown officially ends and absent air traffic controllers can return to work.
This developing situation threatens to impact thousands of domestic flights throughout the US, causing widespread travel chaos for passengers. The story is still breaking, with more details expected to follow.
