Worst weekend for air traffic controller staffing since start of shutdown

By Aaron Cooper, Karina Tsui, CNN

(CNN) — Flight delays linked to the ongoing federal government shutdown continue, with this past weekend marking the worst for air traffic control staffing shortages since the shutdown began, according to a CNN analysis of Federal Aviation Administration operations plans.

Between Friday morning and Sunday night, there were 98 “staffing trigger” reports at FAA facilities, meaning air traffic controllers had to alter operations to keep the airspace safe with fewer people working.

The alterations can include rerouting planes or delaying flights when there are not enough controllers to handle the normal workload.

Air traffic controllers are considered essential staff and must work during the government shutdown, despite not getting paid. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said some controllers have called in sick in protest while others are taking time off to work other jobs.

Not every staffing shortage results in a delay, as controllers can reroute flights, but sometimes there is no choice but to slow planes down to maintain safety.

Friday, which was Halloween, saw 46 facilities impacted by staffing shortages. On Saturday, 34 facilities were short staffed and on Sunday, the number was 18.

Control towers in Austin, Texas; Newark, New Jersey; Boston, Dallas, Denver, Nashville and Phoenix were all short staffed at some point over the weekend. Shifts of controllers who deal with flights enroute at high altitude, and other controllers who handle approaching and departing airports were also short staffed.

The team that manages flights headed to Newark Liberty International Airport reported more staffing triggers than any other single operation.

A “surge” in controllers calling out on Halloween “strained” staffing at half of the 30 largest airports in the country, according to the FAA. Nearly 80% of air traffic controllers were out Friday at facilities in the New York City area.

“Air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue. The shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they’ve earned, and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays,” the FAA said Friday.

As the shutdown, which began October 1, enters its second month, “it’s only going to get worse,” Duffy said Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “Does it become a flight emergency, a safety issue? No, we will stop traffic. So, we’re not going to let that happen. I think the real consequence is, what kind of rolling delays do you have throughout the system.”

Since the start of the shutdown, 393 facilities have reported a staffing trigger – roughly four times as many as were reported on the same dates last year.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.