Delays spread to major airports across the country – government shutdown
4 hours ago
- #air traffic control
- #flight delays
- #government shutdown
- Air traffic controller shortages at Chicago’s O’Hare and Nashville airports due to the government shutdown.
- Similar shortages reported in Houston, Newark, Las Vegas, Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Dallas.
- Houston’s Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental airports experiencing ground delays.
- Transportation Secretary notes increase in controllers calling out sick.
- Federal law prohibits strikes or sickouts, but unscheduled absences cause disruptions.
- O’Hare tower understaffed for nine hours, causing 41-minute average delays.
- Nashville approach facility closed for five hours, leading to two-hour delays.
- Burbank airport tower shut down Monday, forcing pilots to coordinate takeoffs/landings themselves.
- Controllers worried about missing paychecks on October 14 and October 28.
- NATCA highlights understaffing and fragility of the air traffic control system.
- Pilots used CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) to manage flights without controllers.
- Burbank flights delayed over 2.5 hours due to safety spacing requirements.
- 11 other FAA facilities faced staffing shortages, including Phoenix and Denver.