The Hollywood Burbank Airport aerial postulation power operation stands successful Burbank, California, connected Oct. 6, 2025.
Mario Tama | Getty Images
A shortage of air postulation controllers could hold much flights, the Federal Aviation Administration warned connected Wednesday, arsenic concerns turn astir the effect of the government shutdown connected U.S. aviation.
About 10,000 flights were delayed connected Monday and Tuesday, though disruptions dropped connected Wednesday to conscionable much than 1,900. A shortfall of already-thin aerial postulation power staffing this week had prompted the FAA to dilatory oregon halt arrivals successful Burbank, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, among others.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Monday that the FAA is seeing a "slight uptick" successful sick calls of aerial postulation controllers.
The shutdown is exacerbating concerns astir the strain connected aerial postulation controllers, a shortage of whom has vexed hose executives for years.
"Nearly 11,000 afloat certified controllers stay connected the job, galore moving 10-hour shifts arsenic galore arsenic six days a week, showing bonzer dedication to safely guiding millions of passengers to their destinations—all without getting paid during this shutdown," the aerial postulation controllers' union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said successful a statement.
Earlier Wednesday, the FAA had warned determination could spot a staffing trigger astatine Newark Liberty International Airport, but that caution had been removed by the afternoon. Newark was not seeing an influx of formation delays.
The authorities shutdown stretched into its eighth time Wednesday, arsenic the Senate failed to walk a backing connection again.
During a shutdown, "essential" workers specified arsenic aerial postulation controllers and TSA agents are continuing to enactment without pay, portion galore different employees are placed connected furlough.
A much than monthlong shutdown that started successful precocious 2018 ended aboriginal the adjacent year, hours aft a shortage of aerial postulation controllers snarled aerial question successful New York.
English (US) ·