Air Travel Disruptions Deepen in Week Two of U.S. Shutdown

Overview

• Nearly 12,000 flights were delayed from Monday through Wednesday morning and about 200 were canceled, with airlines bracing for further slowdowns.
• The FAA reported staffing shortages across facilities in Philadelphia, Las Vegas, Nashville, Chicago, Houston and Boston, including more than 40-minute delays at Chicago O'Hare.
• California’s Burbank airport operated for roughly six hours without tower controllers as Nashville relied on the Memphis en route center to manage traffic.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said controller absences have increased and staffing has fallen by up to 50% in some regions, prompting the FAA to reduce traffic rates to maintain safety.
• Roughly 13,000 controllers and 50,000 TSA agents are working without pay, and a White House/OMB memo signaled retroactive pay would require congressional approval, increasing pressure on lawmakers to end the funding impasse.