The US Federal Aviation Administration stated that staffing issues were causing delays at several airports including Newark and Denver on Monday. This announcement came just hours after the top US transportation official noted a slight increase in air traffic controllers calling in sick since the government shutdown began.
Approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are required to work during the shutdown. They are not receiving their salaries, and air traffic controllers are expected to miss their first paycheck on October 14.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned that air traffic staffing has sometimes been reduced by 50 percent in certain areas since the shutdown commenced last week.
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The FAA reported that air traffic control staffing issues are affecting flights at various airports, including Newark, Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, and Burbank. According to FlightAware, over 4,000 flights in the US were delayed on Monday, with 29 percent of arriving flights at Denver, 19 percent of Newark flights, and 15 percent of Las Vegas flights being impacted. Weather conditions are also affecting flights.
President Donald Trump has made transportation a key issue in his government shutdown battle with the Democrats, withholding more than $28 billion in aid for climate programs, subways, tunnels, and mass transit in Democrat-leaning states such as New York and Illinois.
Delays are expected due to reduced staffing, Duffy stated, adding that if sick calls increase, the air traffic flow will be reduced to maintain air safety.
Duffy and the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association addressed a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport to discuss the shutdown’s effects. Newark is one of three airports serving the heavily Democratic New York metropolitan area and is a major United Airlines hub.
Duffy highlighted that controllers are concerned. “They’re considering whether they’ll receive a paycheck,” he said, adding that some are questioning, “Do I need to take a second job, like driving for Uber, when I’m already exhausted from an already stressful job?”
The union reminded workers on Monday that “participating in a job action could result in removal from federal service” and emphasized that it is illegal.
“It is more important than ever that we rise to the occasion and continue providing the consistent, high-level public service we deliver every day,” the union informed its members. “We cannot stress enough that it is crucial to avoid any actions that could reflect poorly on you, our union, or our professions.”
In 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, the number of absences by controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers increased as workers missed paychecks, leading to longer checkpoint wait times at some airports. Authorities had to slow air traffic in New York, prompting lawmakers to quickly resolve the standoff.
Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, remarked at the time that the shutdown was “pushing our airspace to the breaking point.”
The airline trade group Airlines for America, representing United, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, warned that during a funding lapse “the system may need to slow down, reducing efficiency” and impacting travelers.
A persistent shortage of controllers has delayed flights, with many working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks. The FAA is approximately 3,500 air traffic controllers short of its targeted staffing levels.
