Staffing issues cause delays at US airports as shutdown persists
- On October 6, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages causing delays at several major US airports, including Newark, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Burbank.
- These delays came after a minor uptick in air traffic controller absences due to illness during the ongoing government shutdown, with both officials and unions drawing attention to an ongoing nationwide shortage of these personnel.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated staffing has been cut by up to 50% in some areas, and many controllers now work mandatory overtime and six-day weeks to maintain operations.
- FlightAware reported over 4,000 flight delays on October 6 and that 29% of Denver, 19% of Newark, and 15% of Las Vegas flights experienced delays.
- Officials cautioned that additional employee absences could lead to more significant service cuts, and noted that 13,000 air traffic controllers along with 50,000 TSA agents must continue their duties during the shutdown despite not receiving pay until funding is reinstated.
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200 Articles
Britons issued US travel warning as Government shutdown continues - with no end in sight
Britons have been handed an FCDO travel warning for the US as the country wrestles with its ongoing Government shutdown.The shutdown, which came into force on October 1, means a string of publicly-funded bodies in the US have had their taps switched off - with President Donald Trump blaming the Democrats.Now, British citizens have been urged to travel with care.Four million Britons flew stateside last year, and hundreds of thousands of UK-US tri…
Correction: Government Shutdown-Flights-Explainer story
The federal government shutdown has entered its second week, and already shortages of air traffic controllers have strained operations and disrupted flights at some U.S. airports. The situation may well get worse if the shutdown continues and employees start to…
How air traffic controllers navigate through government shutdown
Among the government employees who are required to show up to work, and for now are not getting paid, are air traffic controllers. There are more than 14,000 air traffic controllers who work for the Federal Aviation Administration. It’s work that is stressful and can be full of high-anxiety to begin with, and a shutdown and potential for massive job cuts compound the pressures of the job. A recently retired, 35-year veteran controller who worked…
This ‘Misery Map’ shows the shutdown’s toll on air travel
In the midst of the current government shutdown, thousands of flights across the U.S. have been delayed or cancelled. With no clear end to the shutdown in sight, it’s time to revive a tried-and-true tool that’s dependably delivered soul-crushing news to fliers for more than a decade: the Misery Map. The Misery Map is a live tool that tracks weather across the U.S., tallies the number of delays and cancellations at every major airport in the coun…
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