Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Department of Transportation may close certain parts of U.S. airspace as early as Nov. 11 if the funding lapse continues and controller attendance deteriorates.
- The FAA says nearly 13,000 controllers are working without pay and the system already faces a long‑running shortfall of roughly 2,000–3,000 controllers.
- Agency leaders report nearly 50% of major ATC facilities are short‑staffed, with 20%–40% absences at many core airports, leading to traffic throttling and intermittent ground stops.
- Delays have spiked nationwide, including more than 5,000 flights delayed Sunday and hundreds at Newark, O’Hare and JFK on Monday, as the FAA slows arrivals to preserve safety.
- Airlines and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association are pressing Congress to restore funding before controllers miss a second paycheck next week and before holiday travel volumes increase.