Air travel across several major U.S. airports is facing delays due to staffing problems at air traffic control, caused by the ongoing government shutdown now in its 23rd day. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that airports in New York, Washington, Newark, and Houston are among those affected.
The FAA is dealing with staffing issues at 10 locations and has put ground stops in place at Houston Bush and Newark airports. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, flights are delayed by about 31 minutes on average. New York’s LaGuardia Airport is experiencing even longer waits, with average delays around 62 minutes.
Thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are working without pay amid the shutdown. About 13,000 controllers and 50,000 TSA workers have been on the job but haven’t received a paycheck for weeks. Flight tracking data shows more than 4,200 flights across the U.S. were delayed on Thursday alone. At Reagan, Newark, and LaGuardia airports, more than 15% of flights ran late, while 13% of flights were delayed at Houston Bush.
Officials worry the problem could get worse over the weekend, especially as air traffic controllers will miss their first full paycheck by Tuesday. The White House expressed concern that the holiday travel season could see significant disruptions, cancellations, and delays.
The shutdown has stirred political tension. Democrats say the blame lies with President Donald Trump and Republicans for refusing to negotiate, while Republicans point fingers at Democrats. The staffing shortages in air traffic control have become a central issue in the shutdown debate. Unions and airlines have called for a quick resolution to avoid worsening travel conditions.
This isn’t the first time the shutdown has hurt air travel. Back in 2019, during a 35-day shutdown, delayed paychecks led to more absences among controllers and TSA workers. This caused longer wait times at airport checkpoints and forced the FAA to slow down air traffic at major hubs like New York and Washington, which added pressure to end the standoff.
The FAA was already short about 3,500 air traffic controllers before the shutdown began, with many controllers working extra shifts and long weeks. The current situation is stretching a strained system, causing frustration for travelers and airport workers alike. The hope is that lawmakers will come to an agreement soon to ease the burden on vital airport staff and get flights back on track.