U.S. Flight Delays Persist as Government Shutdown Continues

Mon Nov 03 2025 02:59:53 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

With the second month of the government shutdown in full swing, air traffic controller shortages are resulting in significant delays across U.S. airports, leading to ripple effects in travel schedules.

U.S. airports are experiencing severe flight delays due to ongoing air traffic controller shortages amidst a prolonged government shutdown. Newark Airport faces two to three hour delays, affecting airports throughout the region. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that without financial support, disruptions can escalate, although he expresses reluctance to terminate controllers who do not report for work. While the shutdown can lead to isolated staffing issues, historical data suggests strong operational performance at major airports despite these challenges.

Flight delays continued at U.S. airports Sunday amid air traffic controller shortages as the government shutdown entered its second month, with Newark airport in New Jersey experiencing delays of two to three hours.

New York City’s Emergency Management office noted that Newark delays often ripple out to the region’s other airports.

Travelers flying to, from, or through New York “should expect schedule changes, gate holds, and missed connections. Anyone flying today should check flight status before heading to the airport and expect longer waits,” the social media post stated.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare also faced significant delays, alongside major airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, and Miami, according to FlightAware data.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning of increasing flight disruptions as controllers work without pay. He emphasized the importance of safety, stating that controllers will slow traffic down and initiate flight cancellations to maintain operational integrity.

Duffy commented on CBS’s Face the Nation that there are no plans to discharge controllers who don't report to work amidst the shutdown. “They need support, they need money, they need a paycheck. They don’t need to be fired,” he said, reflecting a measured approach to a severe staffing crisis.

Earlier in October, Duffy had warned air traffic controllers who had called in sick instead of working without pay during the shutdown could face termination, highlighting the problematic staffing shortages faced by the FAA, which has been dealing with a discretionary shortfall of nearly 13,000 controllers.

Despite the ongoing challenges, substantial on-time performance has been reported at most major U.S. airports this October, signaling resilient operations through turbulent circumstances.