Summary
On Tuesday night, many flights were delayed in the United States due to staffing shortages at airports and air traffic control centers. The delays occurred because air traffic controllers are working without pay during a government shutdown.
Key Facts
- Thousands of flights were delayed across the U.S. on Tuesday night due to staffing shortages.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported staffing issues at several major airports, including those in Chicago, Las Vegas, Nashville, and Philadelphia.
- More than 3,000 flights experienced delays, with over 570 delays at Chicago's O'Hare Airport alone.
- The government shutdown has caused air traffic controllers to work without pay, impacting operations.
- The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said the system is vulnerable due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
- Nearly 11,000 fully certified controllers are working extended hours, often without pay.
- There is a shortfall of 3,800 air traffic controllers, and efforts to modernize the system and hire more workers are delayed by the shutdown.
- President Trump previously ended a partial shutdown after 35 days in 2019, linked to similar issues at airports.
