Air traffic controllers in the United States (US) are under immense pressure and fatigue after a month of working without pay, which is the duration of the federal government shutdown.
The country’s aviation regulatory authority confirmed that nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks and are responsible for ensuring the safety of more than 50,000 flights per day throughout the entire U.S. national airspace system.
However, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), half of the 30 largest airports in the US are facing staff shortages, with nearly 80% of air traffic controllers absent from airports in the New York area.
Delays were reported at major airports on Sunday, including a four-hour delay at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the country.
Staffing issues were reported at airports in Nashville, Jacksonville, Austin, Denver, and Northern California.
Chaos at airports comes just weeks before the busiest travel days of the year in the US, around Thanksgiving.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that delays at airports “will get worse” as the US government shutdown threatens to enter its fifth week with no signs of resolution.
In statements to CBS News, Mr. Duffy said, “We have found problems at the airports in Los Angeles, Dallas, Washington, Boston, and Atlanta. And I believe the situation will worsen.”
“Currently, half of our 30 primary facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent from facilities in the New York area,” the FAA noted. And concluded: “After 31 days without pay, air traffic controllers are under immense pressure and fatigue. The shutdown must end so that inspectors can receive their due wages and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays.”
USAirtours CEO Guy Novik said that there have been some missed connections due to longer wait times at customs, very few international flight cancellations, and more domestic flight cancellations.
However, the current shutdown is expected to surpass the five-week federal government shutdown in 2018-19 during Donald Trump’s first presidential term, and Novik expressed disappointment that it does not appear to be ending anytime soon. “We are prepared for a long outage,” he noted.
America As You Like It CEO Maggi Smit said the outage had some impact, but not a significant one for customers, who she said are showing a lot of understanding. However, he predicted that the government shutdown may continue at least until the week of Thanksgiving, on November 27.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and more than 30 other trade groups urged Congress to end the shutdown last week, saying it costs the hotel industry $31 million a day.
AHLA CEO Rosanna Maietta said, “The decline in consumer confidence translates into cancellations and discourages future planning.”
The US Travel Association estimated last week that the industry has lost $3.3 billion since the shutdown began on October 1.
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