Photo: The Image Bank Unreleased
Thousands of flights are being delayed or canceled across the country amid a surge in air traffic controller absences stemming from the ongoing government shutdown, per Reuters.
According to FlightAware, more than 16,700 flights were delayed and 2,282 canceled from Friday (October 31) through Sunday (November 2). By Monday (November 3) evening, another 4,000 delays and 600 cancellations were reported, hitting major hubs including Chicago O’Hare, Dallas–Fort Worth, Denver, and Newark.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that staffing shortages have forced the agency to slow the flow of air traffic to maintain safety standards. Nearly half of the FAA’s 30 busiest facilities were understaffed, with absences at New York–area control centers reaching 80 percent.
“The shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they’ve earned and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays,” the FAA said in a statement, adding that all decisions are being made “to maintain the highest level of safety possible.”
Roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers have been working without pay since the shutdown began on October 1. Many controllers have called out or taken second jobs as they face mounting financial strains.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the absences reflect “immense stress and fatigue."
“When they’re making decisions to feed their families, I’m not going to fire air traffic controllers,” Duffy said. “We work overtime to make sure the system is safe. We will slow traffic down, we’ll cancel flights if we have to, but safety will come first.”
Industry group Airlines for America, representing major carriers including American, Delta, United, Southwest, and JetBlue, said more than 3.2 million passengers have been affected by cancellations and delays since the shutdown began, including 300,000 on Friday alone. The group reported that 79 percent of flight delays in early November were linked to controller shortages, compared to just 5 percent before the shutdown.
Over the weekend, major airports in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Washington, D.C. reported extended ground delays, with security lines stretching for hours in some locations.
Despite growing pressure, there was no sign of a funding breakthrough to reopen the government as of Tuesday (November 4).
“If we thought it was unsafe,” Duffy said, “we’d shut the whole airspace down. We’re not there yet — but these delays are a warning sign.”
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