Staffing shortages led to more flight delays at airports across the U.S. on Tuesday as the federal government shutdown stretched into a seventh day. Union leaders for air traffic controllers and airport security screeners warned that the situation was likely to get worse.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily slowed takeoffs of planes headed to the first three cities affected. Major flight delays a day earlier were also tied to insufficient staffing during the shutdown, which began on October 1. The FAA reported delays on Monday at the airports in Burbank, California; Newark, New Jersey; and Denver.
Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said the risk of significant disruptions to U.S. air travel is growing. “The longer the shutdown drags on, the more likely it is to affect holiday travel plans in November,” he said. Harteveldt expressed grave concern that if the government remains shut down, it could disrupt—and possibly ruin—millions of Americans’ Thanksgiving holidays.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted on Monday that there has already been an uptick in air traffic controllers calling out sick in a few locations. When there aren’t enough controllers, the FAA must reduce the number of takeoffs and landings to maintain safety, which in turn causes flight delays and possible cancellations.
This was evident Monday afternoon when the control tower at Southern California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport shut down for several hours, leading to average delays of two-and-a-half hours. When a pilot preparing for takeoff radioed the tower, according to communications recorded by LiveATC.net, he was told: “The tower is closed due to staffing.”
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said the shutdown highlighted challenges his union members already face due to a national airspace system that is critically understaffed and relies on outdated equipment that tends to fail.
“A couple of controllers missing work can have a big impact at a small airport already operating with limited tower staffing,” Daniels explained. “It’s not like we have other controllers who can suddenly come to that facility and staff it. There aren’t enough people there.”
He added that there is no overtime available, and controllers must be certified to work at specific facilities, limiting flexibility.
Air travel complications are likely to expand once a regularly scheduled payday arrives next week and air traffic controllers and TSA officers do not receive any pay, Daniels warned. If the impasse between Republican and Democratic lawmakers on reopening the government persists, workers will face increased financial pressure as their personal bills come due.
“It’s going to eventually be that when people don’t have money, they have time to start making life choices and life decisions,” Daniels said. He noted that it is unrealistic to expect controllers to stay focused solely on their difficult job of keeping flights safe while they aren’t getting paid, even if they eventually should receive back pay.
“That’s not reality and it shouldn’t be put on our backs,” he said. “It’s completely unfair that an air traffic controller is the one who holds the burden of seeing how long you can hang in there in order to allow this political process to play out.”
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees chapter representing TSA workers, said he was hearing concerns from members about how they would manage basic financial obligations.
“There are questions like: ‘How are we going to handle paying our bills? How are we going to pay our child support? How are you going to pay for childcare? How are you going to pay your mortgage payments? If I have to miss work, am I going to get terminated?’” Jones said. “The employees are struggling. They’re assessing what they need to do and how this is all going to work out.”
While some TSA officers have already called in sick, Jones said he did not think the numbers were yet large enough to cause significant problems and delays at airports.
U.S. airlines have called for the shutdown to end as soon as possible. Meanwhile, unions are appealing to food banks, grocery chains, and airports to secure support for workers during the shutdown.
For example, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is offering federal workers $15 food vouchers and allowing them to park in the terminal, according to Jones.
John Tiliacos, chief operating officer of Florida’s Tampa International Airport, said the facility began preparing for the shutdown well before it started. Nicknamed “Operation Bald Eagle 2” among airport staff, the efforts focus on pulling together resources for the roughly 11,000 federal employees working at the airport without pay, including security screeners and air traffic controllers.
Tiliacos said the support includes a food pantry, free bus rides to work, and a program with the local utility provider to help keep the lights on at workers’ homes.
“Whatever we can do to make life a little easier for these federal employees that allows them to continue coming to work and focus on keeping our airport operational, that’s what we’re prepared to do,” he said.
Tampa’s airport provided similar resources for impacted workers during the government shutdowns in 2018 and 2019, which lasted 35 days during President Donald Trump’s first term. Tiliacos believes that assistance helped prevent the widespread staffing shortages experienced by other airports during that period.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2025/10/07/staffing-shortages-cause-more-us-flight-delays-as-government-shutdown-reaches-7th-day
