Flight delays across the United States stretched into a second day Tuesday as the Federal Aviation Administration braced for more airport staffing shortages amid the government shutdown.
Delays due to staffing issues were reported at airports in Denver; Phoenix; Burbank, California; and Newark, New Jersey, within the first 24 hours that air traffic controllers have been working without pay due to the shutdown.
Meanwhile, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association reminded members it does not “endorse, support, or condone” federal employees participating in coordinated activities that could affect flight safety or cause delays.
“Participating in a job action could result in removal from federal service,” the union posted on its website. “It is not only illegal, but it also undermines NATCA’s credibility and severely weakens our ability to effectively advocate for you and your families.”
As of Tuesday morning, the FAA had not issued a “staffing trigger” that would reduce the number of flights in and out of airports that don’t have enough controllers to handle the traffic safely.
But the number of domestic and international flight delays have been surging in recent days, with more than 6,000 reported Monday compared with roughly 3,000 delays Saturday, according to flight tracker website FlightAware. There were just over 1,000 delays within, into, or out of the U.S. as of Tuesday morning, according to the site.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday at Newark International Airport that there had been a slight increase in sick calls since the government shutdown began Wednesday.
“Our priorities are safety,” Duffy said. “And so, if we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people.”
Duffy said the government shutdown is likely taking a toll on already-overburdened controllers.
“Now what they think about as they’re controlling our airspace is, ‘How am I going to pay my mortgage? How do I make my car payment? I have a couple kids at home, how do I put food on the table?'” Duffy said. “‘I’m working six days a week, so I have to take a second job and drive Uber when I’m already exhausted from doing a job that’s already stressful, to think about how I can make extra money because the government may not provide me a paycheck?'”
Speaking at the same press conference, NATCA President Nick Daniels also called for an end to the shutdown.
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“We do not have the luxury of time,” he said. “We do not have time to waste on the unnecessary distractions created by this shutdown.”
“Our message is clear: end the shutdown,” he added.
A representative for Newark Liberty International Airport did not immediately return a request for comment. A spokesperson for Denver International Airport declined to comment on the delays.
Hollywood Burbank Airport stated in a statement on X that the airport remains open and operational.
“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” it said. “Please check with your airline — before arriving at the airport — for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”
Eric Everts, a spokesperson for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, said in a statement that the airport “does not anticipate many visible impacts to operations in the short term due to the federal government shutdown, as most essential workers are required to continue working without pay.”
Everts encouraged passengers to confirm their flight status and arrive early before their flights, especially “during this busy fall break period.”
The Senate again failed to pass legislation Monday night that would reopen the government, and there are no signs of a deal between Democrats and Republicans in the immediate future.
Source: Youtube
