Thousands Of Flights Delayed As US Airports Battle Staffing Shortage Amid Govt Shutdown

The US federal government shutdown has led to more flight disruptions as of Monday across the nation due to a shortage of air traffic controllers (ATCs). The ATCs are bracing for their first full missing paycheck during the shutdown.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Monday reported staffing-related delays averaging around 20 minutes at Dallas airport and roughly 40 minutes at Newark Liberty and Austin-Bergstrom airports. In Austin, the delays came after a brief ground stop that halted departing flights until it was lifted around 4:15 p.m. local time. The FAA also warned of staffing issues at a facility in Jacksonville, Florida, that could cause some problems.

Flights Delayed

Earlier Monday, flights were also briefly delayed at Los Angeles International

Airport, one of the busiest in the world. The disruptions emerged a day after the FAA had issued a temporary ground stop at LAX for about two hours due to a shortage of controllers. Aviation analytics firm Cirium said about 72% of the flights scheduled Sunday at LAX took off within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last week predicted that flyers would start to see more flights delayed and canceled as American ATCs continue to work without pay during the shutdown. The shutdown is nearing the one-month mark.

American Labour Unions Step In

Duffy told Fox News over the weekend that more controllers were calling in sick as money worries compound the stress of an already challenging job.

“And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin,” he was quoted as saying.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the labour union of the ATCs in the US, said that many ATCs are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay.

Union members were expected to gather Tuesday at major airports across the US, including in New York City and Atlanta, to pass out leaflets to passengers detailing how the shutdown is negatively impacting the national aviation system and the workers who keep it running safely. The action coincides with controllers’ first full missing paycheck since the shutdown began.

Some US airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.

Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers. Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, has said the agency had reached “the lowest staffing we’ve had in decades of only 10,800.”