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US Airports Face Major Delays Amid Government Shutdown

US Airports Face Major Delays Amid Government Shutdown

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Delays and cancellations across major U.S. airports rose sharply during the weekend, with more than 16,700 flights delayed and 2,282 canceled, especially at hubs such as Chicago O’Hare, New York’s Newark, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver and Miami. The congestion is tied to a shortage of air‑traffic controllers, with 98 staff‑trigger reports to the FAA, prompting possible rerouting or hold‑ups to accommodate the shortfall of personnel.

US Transportation Security Administration
1. The longer the shutdown goes on, the more severe the impact on our TSA workforce who have expenses they must pay for, making it harder to show up for work when not being paid.
US Federal Aviation Authority
1. When staffing shortages occur, the FAA will reduce the flow of air traffic to maintain safety. This may result in delays or cancellations.
2. Air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue. The shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they've earned, and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays.
Sean Duffy
US Department of Transportation
1. Is there more risk in the system when you have a shutdown? Absolutely there's more risk.
2. Many of the controllers said, 'A lot of us can navigate missing one paycheck. Not everybody, but a lot of us can. None of us can manage missing two paychecks,'
3. Does it become a flight emergency, a safety issue? No, we will stop traffic. So, we're not going to let that happen. I think the real consequence is, what kind of rolling delays do you have throughout the system.
4. They need support, they need money, they need a paycheck. They don't need to be fired.
5. Again when they're making decisions to feed their families, I'm not going to fire air traffic controllers.
6. Flying is safe, but you know you're going to have, certainly, front line employees, are they thinking about that next bill that is due, and they can't afford to pay it? Or are they focused on looking for dangerous, prohibited items? You can make that argument.
Mike McCormick
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
1. If controllers were more reporting to work in such a condition that they could not be 100%, for their air traffic control duties, then, yes, that creates a risk of safety.

US Airports Face Major Delays Amid Government Shutdown

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