Flight delays affected several major cities on Monday evening as the government shutdown persisted. The Department of Transportation (DOT) indicated that the lack of funding prompted air traffic controllers to call in sick as they awaited their paychecks.
“This situation has added pressure on air traffic controllers,” stated Sean Duffy during his address at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. He emphasized the need for controllers to focus on departures and arrivals, ensuring safety for both passengers and aircraft. Controllers are reportedly stressed about meeting basic living expenses and even contemplating secondary jobs, like driving for Uber. “But, it wasn’t only about their jobs; their concerns extended beyond just air traffic,” he noted.
Duffy mentioned a noticeable rise in sick leave among controllers, recalling a similar trend during the 2019 shutdown when payments were halted.
“If we detect issues within the airspace, we will take necessary actions—such as closing airspace or issuing delays,” he stated.
Controllers will receive back pay once the government reopens, but the precise timing is uncertain, with Senate Democrats blocking a resolution that Republicans had hoped would resolve the issue.
Following Duffy’s press briefing, flights to areas like New York, Denver, and Los Angeles began experiencing delays due to the shortage of controllers, as reported. Delays were first noted at Newark, the airport where Duffy had spoken, leading to average delays of nearly an hour for arriving flights, while Denver International Airport faced average delays of around 40 minutes.
Conditions at Hollywood Burbank Airport near Los Angeles were worse, with flights experiencing delays of about 2.5 hours. The absence of controllers on duty that night left staff in San Diego’s Terminal Radar Approach Control Room struggling to manage the workload.
California Governor Gavin Newsom attributed the disruptions at Burbank to President Trump, blaming him for the lack of available air traffic controllers.
In a message, Newsom remarked, “Thanks, @realDonaldTrump! Because of the government shutdown, there were no air traffic controllers at Burbank Airport today from 4:15 PM to 10 PM.”
Meanwhile, Duffy shared a meme on social media poking fun at Democrats who seemed to prioritize healthcare for undocumented immigrants over the crisis involving air traffic controllers.
