Travel delays across the United States intensified on Friday as the ongoing government shutdown entered a new phase, putting critical strain on air traffic controllers who have been working without pay for a month.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that travelers would continue to see an increase in flight disruptions the longer controllers are forced to work without a paycheck.
“Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters outside the White House on Thursday after a meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders discussing the shutdown’s impact.
Widespread Airport Disruptions
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially reported staffing shortages on Friday that were leading to flight delays at a number of major airports across the country.
Impacted Airports: Boston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and the Washington, DC area.
New York Area Delays: Airports serving the New York City area—John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport—were specifically experiencing delays averaging around two hours, according to the FAA.
Shift in System Performance
While aviation analytics firm Cirium noted that October generally showed “strong on-time performance” despite some “isolated staffing problems,” the data now suggests a troubling shift. Cirium reported a “broader slowdown” across the nation’s aviation system on Thursday for the first time since the shutdown began on October 1, indicating that staffing-related disruptions are likely spreading.
This broad decline was reflected in many major US airports seeing below-average on-time performance. For instance, Orlando’s airport experienced staffing-related delays that averaged nearly four and a half hours for some periods on Thursday.
This follows an incident last weekend where a controller shortage led the FAA to issue a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), holding flights at their originating airports for about two hours until the stop was lifted on Sunday.
Controllers Face Unsustainable Pressure
The mounting delays are a direct result of the financial stress and fatigue placed on air traffic controllers and other essential federal aviation workers.
Financial Hardship: Controllers missed their first full paychecks on Tuesday, leading to significant financial hardship. Secretary Duffy mentioned that some controllers are struggling to afford gas to drive to work.
Mandatory Overtime: Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown, which severely limits their ability to find temporary side jobs to cover bills and expenses unless they call out sick.
NATCA Statement: Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), issued a strong statement: “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.”
Some US airports have reportedly stepped in to provide support, offering food donations and other assistance to federal aviation employees, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, who are currently working without pay. The FAA was already dealing with a long-standing shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers even before the shutdown began.
US Air Travel Delays Worsen As Government Shutdown Drags On; Air Traffic Controllers Work Without Pay
