Air traffic control personnel shortages are causing flight delays at airports in New York, Washington, Newark, and Houston, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, now in its 23rd day, is exacerbating the situation.
The FAA has identified staffing challenges at 10 different locations, leading to ground stops at Houston Bush and Newark airports. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, flights are experiencing average delays of 31 minutes, while New York LaGuardia is facing average delays of 62 minutes.
Approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are working without pay due to the shutdown. FlightAware, a flight tracking platform, reported over 4,200 U.S. flight delays on Thursday, affecting more than 15% of flights at Reagan, Newark, and LaGuardia, and 13% at Bush.
Concerns are rising among federal officials as controller absences could escalate over the weekend, especially as controllers are set to miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday. The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, expressed worries about potential flight disruptions during the upcoming holiday season.
The shutdown has triggered a debate, with Democrats disputing claims of responsibility and attributing the impasse to U.S. President Donald Trump and Republicans. Air traffic control has emerged as a contentious issue in the shutdown discourse, with unions and airlines advocating for a prompt resolution.
In a similar shutdown episode in 2019 lasting 35 days, controller and TSA officer absences surged due to missed paychecks, leading to extended wait times at airport checkpoints. This situation forced authorities to implement air traffic limitations in New York and Washington, pressuring lawmakers to end the deadlock.
Even before the shutdown, the FAA faced a shortage of about 3,500 air traffic controllers, with many already working extensive overtime and six-day weeks. The current situation is exacerbating an existing staffing challenge within the FAA.