Overview

• More than 15,000 flights have been delayed since Monday, with thousands tied to FAA traffic slowdowns from controller absences, and outlets report hundreds of cancellations this week.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said repeat no‑shows could be dismissed and praised roughly 90%–95% of controllers who continue working without pay.
• Duffy reported staffing‑related delays rose to 53% in recent days from a historical 5%, making delays roughly 10 times more likely.
• The FAA is restricting arrivals to maintain safety and has used remote procedures when towers lack staff, including hours‑long disruptions at Hollywood Burbank that produced average delays over two and a half hours.
• Preexisting shortages—about 3,500 controllers below targets—are magnifying the strain as the NATCA union urges members to keep working and warns that job actions are illegal.