Why US air traffic control system straining amid the government shutdown

Air traffic control crisis amid shutdown

The United States’ air traffic control system is facing significant strain as the government shutdown enters its eighth day, with major facilities reporting staff shortages that could disrupt flights nationwide. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says six key control centres will be under-staffed on Wednesday evening, according to a publicly available operations plan.

Widespread short staffing across key airports

Facilities affected include control towers near Washington, DC, and Denver, along with centres managing flights arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport and Orlando International Airport. Air Route Traffic Control Centres in Albuquerque and Los Angeles are also operating below normal staffing levels.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking to CNN, acknowledged the pressures controllers face, noting they may be “stressed out” by the economic realities of the shutdown. “I’m encouraging air traffic controllers to show up for work. They need to go to their jobs. They need to control the airspace,” he told CNN on Wednesday night.

Duffy also highlighted the severity of the current delays compared with historical averages. “Over the past nine months, 5% of air travel delays were caused by staffing shortages, but today it was 53%,” he told CNN.

Delays at major airports

At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, delays for flights heading to the airport are “probable” and could average 31 minutes, as the control tower operates without a full complement of staff from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. Controllers there have faced scrutiny since a January 29 helicopter collision killed 67 people.

Similarly, the Denver tower will operate short-staffed from 9 p.m. to midnight ET, while Newark Liberty International Airport expects delays of up to 30 minutes between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., after already facing shortages earlier in the day.

Orlando International Airport’s approach control, which handles arrivals and departures, will also see below-normal staffing from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Air route traffic control centres covering large regions are similarly affected. Albuquerque Centre will operate with reduced staff until 10 p.m. ET, while Los Angeles Centre will be short-staffed from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET.

“There’s no rhyme or reason to what’s happening with these controllers, but the truth is, we need to open up the government again,” Duffy told CNN.

Managing the skies safely

Staffing shortages do not automatically mean delays, as the FAA can reroute flights or manage airspace strategically. However, safety precautions sometimes necessitate slower operations. “When you see delays, it’s because we’re not willing to take additional risk if we don’t have the staff to fly your flight on time,” Duffy told CNN.

Weather is also affecting flights in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, compounding operational challenges.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has not reported slowdowns despite some officers calling in sick. “TSA has not experienced any delay in operations due to callouts, and remains fully capable of facilitating safe and secure travel for passengers,” the agency said.

Controllers working without pay

Air traffic controllers are essential employees required to work during the shutdown, but are not currently being paid. Union officials stress the fragility of the system under these conditions.

“Air traffic controllers are going to do everything they can to show up to duty, save people’s lives, and do the job that we do day in and day out,” said National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels, speaking to CNN. “Air traffic controllers don’t start a shutdown and we don’t end a shutdown. Politicians are the ones that start the shutdown, and they’re the only ones that have the ability to end the shutdown.”

Transportation Secretary Duffy highlighted the personal stress facing controllers. “They are stressed out. They are wondering, how do they put food on the table? How do they pay their mortgages if their paycheck doesn’t come through?” he told CNN.

Examples of severe disruptions

Recent incidents underline the impact of short staffing. In Nashville, the approach facility shut down for five hours on Tuesday night. “There was only four of us (that) showed up,” one controller quipped to a plane waiting to take off, according to audio from CNN. “We don’t own the airspace right now, Memphis owns the airspace.”

Flights faced multi-hour delays as planes were cleared to land but held on the tarmac waiting for take-off authorisation. At Hollywood Burbank Airport, the tower was forced to shut down when no controllers reported to work, and pilots communicated using Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), typically reserved for smaller airports.

Political reactions and calls for action

Maryland Governor Wes Moore thanked controllers at Baltimore/Washington International Airport, noting, “Our BWI workers are still here. They’re on the job, but unfortunately, because of this situation, the majority of them are, right now, are working without pay.”

Congressman Kweisi Mfume urged emergency funding to ensure pay for controllers. “And yes, they are essential. And yes, we have an obligation to make sure that the skies are safe. People are beginning now to worry about flying, and we should never, as a nation, get to that point,” he said.

In response, Duffy posted on X, blaming the shutdown: “If you’re feeling the impact of the shutdown, you can thank the radical Democrats. Stop the madness and end the shutdown.”