ORLANDO, Fla. — Pressure continues to mount at airports across the country as the federal government shutdown moves past 30 days, leading to widespread staffing shortages and major disruptions in air travel.
From California to New York and Nevada to Massachusetts, multiple airports reported extensive delays and ground stops throughout the day on Friday. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the issue stems from a shortage of air traffic controllers, a growing concern as federal employees remain unpaid or furloughed during the shutdown.
At Orlando International Airport (MCO), the ripple effects were clear. As of Friday evening, there were at least 22 cancellations and more than 200 delays, numbers that continued to climb as the day went on. “Almost an hour ago, we got a text saying our Delta flight got delayed,” said Izabelle Jimenez, who was flying to New York City. “I really hope it doesn’t get delayed any longer. I’ve been seeing it all over social media.”
The FAA said several of the nation’s busiest hubs — including LaGuardia, JFK, Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, and San Francisco — were forced to temporarily halt operations due to staffing gaps in their control towers. Those ground stops created a domino effect across the entire air traffic system, impacting airports like Orlando.
“We are flying Delta, so hopefully we won’t get delayed much longer,” said Jon Santiago, also heading to New York. “Right now, it’s at a 45-minute delay.” The FAA reported an average of 161-minute delays for flights in and out of MCO on Thursday, one of the highest in the country.
Some passengers, like Patricia Combs, flying from Atlanta, said they were surprised to make it through without problems. “We were very skeptical about the day,” Combs said. “We got there two-and-a-half, almost three hours ahead of time. Everything went smoothly, so we were very surprised.”
The staffing crisis comes as roughly 50,000 TSA officers and 14,000 air traffic controllers continue to work without pay. Controllers are considered essential staff and must remain on the job, even as the shutdown stretches into its second month. “We’re in an air traffic shortage right now,” said Jack Criss, an FAA air traffic controller. “There are controllers in their early twenties who don’t have a nest egg saved up. We literally have to perform at a perfect level.”
Travelers are being urged to check their flight status frequently and arrive early, as the impacts of the ongoing shutdown continue to ripple across the aviation system.
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