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Nearly half of the 30 busiest U.S. airports are facing severe air traffic controller shortages as the federal government shutdown stretches into its 31st day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported Friday. The agency warned that the ongoing crisis is leading to nationwide flight delays and cancellations, further straining the aviation industry and travelers alike.
The FAA confirmed that 35 key facilities, including major hubs in New York, Austin, Newark, Phoenix, Washington, Nashville, Dallas, and Denver, reported staffing problems. New York’s airspace has been among the hardest hit, with around 80% of controllers absent. At LaGuardia Airport, half of all flights were delayed and 12% canceled, with average delays exceeding two hours. Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport saw one in four flights delayed.
More than 5,600 flights were delayed and 500 canceled nationwide on Friday alone, according to FlightAware. The impact could have been worse, but Halloween travel volumes were roughly 20% lower than average, offering slight relief to the strained system.
The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to work without pay, leading to mounting fatigue and stress. “After 31 days without pay, air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue,” the FAA said, calling for an immediate end to the shutdown.
Major airlines—including Delta, United, Southwest, and American—have urged Congress to pass a “continuing resolution” to restore federal funding. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association joined in the call, warning that aviation safety and efficiency are at risk.
With the FAA already 3,500 controllers below target staffing levels before the shutdown, the crisis underscores how prolonged political gridlock threatens to disrupt the entire U.S. aviation network—echoing the chaos seen during the 35-day government shutdown in 2019.
