Airports across the United States are facing widespread flight delays for a second consecutive day as staffing shortages deepen during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
More than 3,000 flights were delayed on Tuesday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware, with disruption affecting major hubs including Houston, Nashville, Dallas, Chicago O’Hare and Newark in New York.
Air traffic controllers have been ordered to continue working despite not being paid while the shutdown remains in effect. They are expected to receive partial pay next week for work completed before the shutdown began on 1 October.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had seen a rise in staff calling in sick, with air traffic control staffing reduced by as much as 50% in some areas since the funding lapse began.
“If we don’t have controllers, we’re going to make sure the airspace is safe. So what we do is we’ll slow traffic,” Mr Duffy told Fox News.
Aviation analyst Henry Harteveldt warned that the effects on the wider US aviation system were “growing by the day”, as critical federal workers continued to work without pay. He said prolonged disruption could affect millions of Americans planning to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday in November.
“I’m gravely concerned that if the government remains shut down, it could disrupt, and possibly ruin, millions of Americans’ Thanksgiving holidays,” he said.
FlightAware data showed more than 225 flights delayed at Nashville Airport — about 20% of its schedule — and more than 570 at Chicago O’Hare, also over 20% of flights. Southwest Airlines reported over 500 delays, while American Airlines delayed more than 400.
The shutdown stems from a political impasse in Congress after lawmakers failed to agree on temporary funding legislation. Democrats have demanded that any deal include an extension of enhanced health insurance tax credits and the reversal of cuts to Medicaid — the federal health programme for low-income Americans.
Republicans have accused Democrats of seeking to expand health benefits to undocumented immigrants.
