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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Tuesday that air traffic control staffing shortages are causing widespread flight delays at major U.S. airports, including Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental, Hobby Airport, and Newark Liberty International, as the U.S. government shutdown enters its 21st day.
Ground stops were issued at Houston’s airports after multiple air traffic controllers failed to report for duty. Earlier in the day, Houston Bush also faced additional delays due to communication issues that later worsened because of staffing shortages. By 7 p.m. ET (2300 GMT), flight tracking service FlightAware reported over 163 delayed flights at Houston Bush, representing around 12% of total flights, while 53 flights—or 8%—were delayed at Hobby Airport. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey reported delays on more than 171 flights, accounting for about 15% of operations.
Currently, around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to work during the shutdown but are not receiving pay. The FAA remains understaffed by approximately 3,500 controllers, with many employees already facing long hours, mandatory overtime, and six-day workweeks even before the shutdown began.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy voiced deep concern about the situation, warning that financial stress and fatigue could compromise safety. “This is a really hard job, and you have to be really tuned in,” Homendy stated, emphasizing that distractions caused by missed paychecks can affect performance.
Air traffic control operations have become a central issue in the ongoing political standoff, with unions, airlines, and lawmakers calling for an immediate resolution. A similar scenario occurred during the 2019 government shutdown, when staff shortages and unpaid workers forced authorities to slow traffic in key airports like New York and Washington, putting intense pressure on Congress to reopen the government.
