Significant Flight Delays Persist Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown

Mon Nov 03 2025 06:07:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Travelers are facing significant disruptions at major U.S. airports due to air traffic controller shortages exacerbated by an extended government shutdown, impacting flight schedules nationwide.

U.S. airports are grappling with extensive flight delays as the government shutdown continues, with air traffic controller shortages at the forefront. Newark airport in New Jersey has experienced two to three-hour delays, triggering a ripple effect across other regional airports. Travelers flying to, from, or through New York are advised to anticipate schedule changes, long waits, and potential missed connections. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlights the risks of further disruptions as more controllers work unpaid. The Federal Aviation Administration continues to navigate staffing issues, which have been ongoing even before the shutdown.

Flight delays at U.S. airports have worsened as the government shutdown extends into its second month, with air traffic controller shortages contributing to the mounting disruptions. Newark airport in New Jersey has been particularly affected, with delays reaching two to three hours on Sunday.

According to New York City's Emergency Management office, delays originating from Newark often affect other regional airports, causing widespread travel disruptions across the New York area. Travelers flying to, from, or through New York are being advised to expect significant changes to their schedules, longer wait times, and potential missed connections due to the ongoing situation.

Major concentration of delays has also been reported at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare, along with airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami, according to data from FlightAware.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concern over the continued absence of pay for air traffic controllers, suggesting that the longer they work without compensation, the more likely it is that flight delays will increase. 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, he stated during an appearance on CBS's Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.

Duffy clarified that he does not intend to terminate air traffic controllers who opt to stay home due to financial pressures. When they’re making decisions to feed their families, I’m not going to fire air traffic controllers, he said. They need support, they need money, they need a paycheck. They don’t need to be fired.

As the government shutdown drags on, nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks, compounding existing staffing shortages due to a lack of recruitment and retention. The FAA previously indicated a shortfall of around 3,000 controllers.

While disruptions are notable, some sectors show strong on-time performance, despite the chronic staffing challenges faced by regional control centers and individual airport towers. Aviation analytics firm Cirium notes that most major U.S. airports maintained reliable schedules throughout October, even amid the ongoing employee issues.