US: Nationwide Flight Delays Amid Air Traffic Shutdown

By Staff, Agencies

The United States is facing mounting air travel disruptions as thousands of flights were delayed nationwide on Sunday due to severe staffing shortages among air traffic controllers.

The crisis comes amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week, which has left key aviation personnel working without pay.

According to the Associated Press [AP], more than 4,200 flights were delayed and over 550 were canceled across the country on Sunday.

At Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the hardest-hit hubs, incoming flights faced delays averaging over three hours, while similar disruptions were reported at New York’s LaGuardia, Chicago O’Hare, Denver International, and several airports in California and Texas.

The FAA has been under heavy strain since the October 1 shutdown, with air traffic controllers working unpaid for over a month in a system already short nearly 3,000 staff.

In some facilities, up to 80% of controllers were reportedly absent due to fatigue and financial stress. The FAA has warned that the situation could deteriorate further if the shutdown continues.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “We work overtime to make sure the system is safe. And we will slow traffic down, you’ll see delays, we’ll have flights canceled to make sure the system is safe.”

In an interview with 60 Minutes, US President Donald Trump said that he will keep the government shutdown ongoing until Democrats capitulate.

“I’m not going to do it by being extorted by the Democrats who have lost their way,” Trump asserted.

Trump has linked reopening the government to major cuts to Obamacare subsidies, proposing to freeze Affordable Care Act [ACA] expansion funds—a plan Democrats swiftly rejected.

When asked whether Democrats will capitulate, he replied, “I think they have to. And if they don’t vote, that’s their problem.”

Air traffic controller shortages have triggered nationwide delays, with major hubs—especially New York’s Newark, JFK, and LaGuardia—facing severe disruptions and warnings of potential ground stops.

Airlines are rerouting and consolidating flights to limit cancellations, while airports urge travelers to check schedules. Pilot unions call the situation “untenable,” warning that controller fatigue threatens safety.

The air travel turmoil highlights the growing economic and social toll of the government shutdown, which has already disrupted federal services, national parks, and public safety operations.

Industry groups have warned that if the impasse continues, the FAA’s ability to maintain safe and efficient airspace operations could be seriously compromised.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said that the shutdown “introduces a whole new risk in the air traffic control system.”

Air traffic controllers are the backbone of US aviation, managing thousands of flights daily by directing takeoffs, landings, and maintaining safe distances between aircraft.

Because each controller oversees a vital part of the air network, even small staffing gaps can disrupt the system—causing nationwide delays and cancellations now worsened by the shutdown.