🔗 Share this article American Airport Chaos Worsens as Workforce Gaps Escalate During Government Shutdown Passengers across the United States are bracing for increasing delays as airport staffing shortages continue to worsen during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now reaching its seventh day. Growing Concerns Over Aviation System Labor leaders for flight controllers and TSA agents have cautioned that the circumstances is likely to deteriorate, with workforce issues reported at multiple key airports including facilities in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville and Philadelphia. "The risk of broader effects to the US aviation system is growing by the day," commented travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt. He expressed serious worry that if the shutdown continues, it could possibly interfere with countless American Thanksgiving travel plans in November. Travel Disruptions and Operational Issues Staffing shortages, featuring an elevated number of workers taking sick leave, impacted major airports around New York, Los Angeles and Denver on Monday, resulting in delays for over 6,000 flights nationwide. The Burbank facility's air traffic control was temporarily closed and responsibilities were managed by another facility The Nashville facility reported postponements averaging 120 minutes due to staffing issues Chicago's O'Hare recorded typical postponements of 41 minutes Dallas-Fort Worth experienced postponements recorded at 30 minutes Industry Response and Labor Stance The National Air Traffic Controllers Association emphasized that it does not support any organized actions that could negatively affect the national flight network. The union clarified that flight controllers value their duty to ensure passenger security very seriously and engaging in any job action could lead to removal from federal service. Government Perspective Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the country's air traffic control system is being harmed from the continuing federal closure. "They aren't only thinking about the flight paths," he remarked regarding flight controllers who are not receiving salaries. "They're concerned about, 'Am I going to get a salary'?" The official observed that many operators depend on regular income and are unable to manage prolonged durations without payment. Broader Implications Based on contingency planning, approximately a quarter of the workforce, or over eleven thousand FAA employees, were temporarily laid off when the shutdown began last week. However, thirteen thousand flight controllers remain on duty, with recruitment and instruction also ongoing. Labor leader Nick Daniels indicated that the closure has emphasized existing challenges faced by flight controllers, including workforce gaps and aging technology. He explained that the situation is especially serious at smaller airports where reduced personnel creates further difficulties. Despite the widespread delays, aviation analytics showed that approximately 92% of flights departing from US airports took off on time as of Tuesday afternoon. The Federal Aviation Administration had not activated a "staffing trigger" that would reduce the number of flights in and out of airports, indicating that operations were proceeding despite the challenges.