Staffing shortage prompts brief ground stop for LAX flights to Oakland

By Iris Salem

A staffing shortage in Oakland led to a temporary ground stop Sunday morning for flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Oakland, officials said.

The halt at LAX began around 8:45 a.m. and was lifted shortly before 11 a.m., according to airport officials. Officials attributed the disruption to staffing shortages in Oakland affecting flights to and from the airport.

In a statement to CBS LA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that when staffing shortages occur, the agency “slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations.” The FAA did not immediately respond to questions regarding how many flights were impacted due to the ground stop. 

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted on X, saying on Tuesday, 13,000 air traffic controllers will not be receiving a paycheck as the government shutdown enters its fourth week. Duffy accused Democrats of “holding the government hostage.”

No additional details were immediately available.