Air travel across the United States ground to a near standstill on Sunday, with more than 8,000 flights delayed as a deepening shortage of air traffic controllers fueled by the federal government shutdown now in its 26th day continued to disrupt the nation’s skies.
At airports from Chicago to Los Angeles, weary travelers faced mounting frustration as flight boards filled with red “delayed” warnings. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed staffing shortages at 22 air traffic control centers on Saturday, one of the highest figures since the shutdown began on October 1.
“This is one of the most strained moments we’ve seen in the system,”
“Controllers are wearing thin many have gone weeks without pay and are still showing up to keep our skies safe.”U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.
Data from flight-tracking site FlightAware showed the number of delayed flights surged to more than 8,000 by 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, up sharply from 5,300 the day before.
Airlines bore the brunt of the turmoil. Southwest Airlines reported disruptions to 45 percent of its schedule about 2,000 flights while American Airlines saw nearly 1,200 delays. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines also reported significant slowdowns, with nearly one in four flights affected.
Ground delays were reported Sunday at major hubs including Chicago O’Hare, Washington Reagan National, and Newark Liberty, as FAA facilities scrambled to manage airspace with fewer hands on deck. An earlier ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport was lifted after several hours of disruption.
Behind the statistics are the 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers still working without pay. Many are now entering their first full pay period with zero income.
“They’re taking second jobs, driving for rideshare companies, and borrowing money,”
“They’re doing everything they can just to stay afloat.” Duffy stated.
The FAA, already 3,500 controllers short of its target staffing level before the shutdown, had been relying on mandatory overtime and six-day workweeks to keep operations stable. Now, the cracks are beginning to show.
The travel chaos is adding urgency to the standoff on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers face growing public anger as the shutdown triggered by a budget impasse over President Donald Trump’s federal employee buyout plan begins to touch millions of Americans directly.
Economists warn the travel disruptions could ripple through the economy, affecting tourism, trade, and business travel.
“The longer this goes on, the greater the damage,” said a senior aviation analyst. “We’re approaching a point where the system’s safety and reliability are being tested.”
The Trump administration has cautioned that delays and cancellations may worsen this week as controllers miss their first full paycheck.
For passengers stranded in terminals nationwide, that warning is already a reality.
“I’ve been rebooked twice and slept on the floor at O’Hare,I understand it’s not the workers’ fault but this can’t keep going on.”said Lisa Chang, a traveler from Seattle
