Particle.news
Download on the App Store
30 ARTICLES
·
6h ago

FAA Limits Newark Arrivals as Controller Shortages Cause Nationwide Flight Disruptions

Transportation officials say flights will be deliberately slowed to maintain safety during the shutdown.

Travellers sleep on chairs as flights are cancelled at Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida on October 30, 2025. Flights at Orlando International Airport faced major delays on October 30, after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the airport had no certified air-traffic controllers in its tower, forcing arrivals to be halted or severely delayed amid the ongoing US government shutdown. Air traffic controllers -- seen as "essential" public servants -- are kept at work during government shutdowns, but higher numbers are calling in sick rather than toiling without pay, leading to shortages. (Photo by Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo / AFP) (Photo by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Image
Image

Overview

  • Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay, with the FAA reporting shortages at about half of the Core 30 facilities and near 80% absences in New York–area operations.
  • The FAA restricted Newark Liberty arrivals to roughly 20 per hour under a ground delay program extending into early Monday, producing average waits of two to more than three hours and spillover delays at JFK and LaGuardia.
  • By Sunday afternoon, FlightAware tracked nearly 3,300 delays and about 530 cancellations within, into or out of the United States.
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the department will delay or cancel flights to preserve safety and warned conditions will deteriorate further if the shutdown persists.
  • Airline leaders and the controllers’ union urged Congress to approve a clean funding measure as controllers face mandatory overtime, six‑day weeks and mounting fatigue risks.