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2d ago

Shutdown Strains U.S. Air Travel as Burbank Tower Goes Unstaffed for Hours

FAA says unpaid controller shortages could force reduced flight flow to maintain safety.

An American Eagle plane takes off from Hollywood Burbank Airport on Monday in Burbank, Calif. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated the airport had no air traffic controllers in its tower amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.
A dark and unstaffed air traffic control tower is seen at the Hollywood Burbank Airport amid the US government shutdown
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Overview

  • Hollywood Burbank Airport’s control tower had no on-site controllers from about 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday, with Southern California TRACON in San Diego managing arrivals and departures remotely.
  • Departures bound for Burbank were held by ground delays elsewhere, averaging about 151 minutes, while pilots coordinated taxi movements on the airfield.
  • Airport staff said controllers were scheduled to return Tuesday morning with normal operations expected to resume, following widespread delays and some cancellations the previous night.
  • Newark Liberty and Denver International also reported staffing-related slowdowns Monday, with delays of up to roughly an hour in Newark and average delays near 40 minutes in Denver; Phoenix and other hubs reported impacts as well.
  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported a slight uptick in controller sick calls and warned the FAA could cut flight volume or pause operations to keep the system safe, as the controllers’ union urged members to stay on the job and officials flagged looming risks to the Essential Air Service program.