Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Oct 20: Air travel across the United States faced major disruptions Sunday as the ongoing government shutdown, now in its 19th day, led to staffing shortages at key airports, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

Air traffic control absences were causing delays in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, and Newark, with additional disruptions reported in Las Vegas and Phoenix. The FAA noted that “numerous staffing triggers” were received for the evening shift, highlighting the strain on air traffic operations.

FlightAware reported that over 5,800 flights were delayed on Sunday, with weather conditions and a Formula 1 race in Austin further impacting schedules. More than 20% of American Airlines and Southwest Airlines flights faced delays.

About 13,000 air traffic controllers and roughly 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to work during the shutdown but are currently unpaid, compounding the operational challenges. Earlier this month, a week-long period saw over 23,000 flights delayed, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributing 53% of the delays to staffing shortages, compared to the usual 5%.

Air traffic control has become a central issue in the political debate over the shutdown, with both parties blaming each other. Unions and airlines have urged a swift resolution to prevent further disruptions. During previous shutdowns, such as the 35-day 2019 standoff, unpaid air traffic controllers and TSA officers led to extended checkpoint wait times and slowed air traffic in major cities like New York and Washington, pressuring lawmakers to act.

The FAA continues to operate under staffing deficits, being roughly 3,500 controllers short of targeted levels, with many workers already performing mandatory overtime and six-day weeks before the shutdown began.