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20m ago

FAA Triggers DCA Ground Delays as Shutdown Shortens Air-Traffic Ranks

Unpaid essential aviation staff face rising stress and sick calls, prompting officials to warn of broader delays if funding is not restored.

The Capitol is illuminated at dawn on the 6th day of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The Senate side of the Capitol is illuminated by the sun at dawn in Washington, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 7: Travelers arrive at the Nashville International Airport during a temporary ground stop on October 7, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notified the airport that flights arriving and departing would be reduced due to a shortage of air traffic controllers amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. (Photo by Seth Herald/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • An FAA advisory placed Reagan National on a ground delay program Wednesday evening with average waits of about 31 minutes due to staffing shortfalls.
  • Flight tracking showed roughly 2,000-plus delays and about 50 cancellations by Wednesday night, easing from more than 6,000 delays reported Monday.
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said staffing typically accounts for about 5% of delays but has risen to 53% in recent days, with facilities at times operating at reduced capacity.
  • Localized disruptions included a temporary halt at LaGuardia after a data outage, a Tuesday night ground stop in Nashville that later cleared, and a reported hours-long gap in tower staffing at Hollywood Burbank on Monday.
  • More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and some 61,000 TSA officers are working without pay, unions are urging an end to the shutdown while discouraging any job actions, and DOT has warned small‑community air service subsidies could lapse as soon as Oct. 12 if the stalemate continues.