Air travel across the U.S. continues to face significant delays due to a surge of unpaid air traffic controllers calling out of work.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a warning, stating that nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for several weeks.
“As we head into this weekend, a surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the National Airspace System,” the FAA stated in a post on X.
As of Friday, half of the 30 busiest airports were experiencing staffing shortages, including locations in Boston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and the Washington, D.C., area.
The shortages are having significant effects, with airports in the New York City area being hit the hardest, where 80% of controllers are absent. Additionally, flights out of Los Angeles International Airport were briefly halted last week due to controllers calling out sick.
The increase in callouts coincides with President Donald Trump’s prolonged government shutdown. The shutdown has left nearly 700,000 federal workers furloughed and another 700,000 working without pay. As food benefits were set to expire for millions of Americans, Trump spent Friday hosting a Halloween party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Meanwhile, air traffic controllers have been mandated to work overtime six days a week during the shutdown, as reported by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.
After 31 days without pay, the FAA emphasized the immense stress and fatigue experienced by air traffic controllers. The agency urged for an end to the shutdown to ensure controllers receive their deserved pay and to prevent further disruptions and delays for travelers.
The FAA also stated that they will continue to adjust the flow of air traffic to maintain safety, which may lead to potential delays or cancellations.
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