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8h ago

FAA Staffing Crisis Triggers Ground Delays and Stops as Orlando Briefly Lacked Certified Controllers

Officials and industry leaders are urging a clean funding bill, warning Thanksgiving travel could deteriorate if unpaid controllers keep missing paychecks.

Cancelled flights are seen on a screen 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)

Overview

  • FAA advisories late Thursday said Orlando International would have no certified controllers for a period, forcing a ground‑delay program with average waits near 2 hours 40 minutes and some approaching 12 hours, plus cancellations.
  • By Friday morning, operations at Orlando improved with fewer disruptions, but FAA alerts flagged staffing shortfalls at Philadelphia TRACON Area C and the towers in Nashville and Austin, with additional delays possible at major Northeast hubs amid high winds.
  • FlightAware data showed more than 1,200 cancellations and over 7,000 delays across the U.S. on Thursday as staffing shortages compounded other constraints.
  • FAA reporting and media tallies noted significant interruptions at major airports in recent days, including warnings of ground stops at Newark, JFK, LaGuardia, DCA, LAX and SFO, and temporary closures or shutdown periods at several hubs.
  • Vice President J. D. Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned holiday air travel could become a “disaster,” while airline, pilot, controller and travel groups released a joint appeal for a clean continuing resolution.