The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that nearly 50% of the 30 busiest airports in the United States experienced air traffic controller shortages on Friday, stemming from a federal government shutdown that has now lasted 31 days. This significant staffing issue led to nationwide flight delays, with New York City experiencing one of the highest impacts as 80% of its air traffic controllers were reported absent.
Staffing problems were noted at at least 35 FAA facilities, including major airports in cities such as Austin, Newark, Phoenix, Washington, Nashville, Dallas, and Denver. Delays at some airports reached an average of one hour or more. The ongoing shutdown requires approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work without pay. The FAA emphasized the stress and fatigue that controllers are facing due to the prolonged absence of compensation.
While delays affected 5,600 flights and resulted in 500 cancellations on Friday, air traffic was reportedly 20% lower than average for a typical Friday, which somewhat mitigated the disruption. In New York’s LaGuardia airport, about 50% of flights were delayed, with an average delay of 140 minutes. Additionally, a quarter of flights at Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. were delayed.
Airlines anticipate further flight disruptions in the coming days, with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicating that conditions may worsen over the weekend. Staffing shortages had already caused significant delays earlier in the week, with over 7,300 flights delayed and 1,250 canceled. Major airlines, including Delta, United, Southwest, and American, have urged Congress to pass a stopgap funding bill to address these ongoing issues.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, has created challenges in reaching an agreement on federal funding, with differing priorities between Republican lawmakers and Democrats regarding healthcare subsidy negotiations. The FAA’s staffing levels are currently about 3,500 controllers below target, with many employees previously required to work considerable overtime prior to the shutdown.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/01/airports-delays-government-shutdown