Air Traffic Paralysis: Government Shutdown Grounds Flights Nationwide
Delays hit U.S. airports due to air traffic control staffing issues amid a government shutdown, impacting airports like Nashville, Newark, and Chicago O'Hare. Controllers continue working without pay, leading to flight slowdowns. The FAA sees a rise in sick leave, compounding the problem with significant operational impacts.
As the government shutdown extends into its seventh day, air traffic control staffing shortages are severely impacting flights across the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported delays at major airports such as Nashville, Newark, and Chicago O'Hare due to a lack of personnel.
In Nashville, staffing challenges have forced the FAA to curtail operations, with Memphis Center taking over approach control. At Chicago O'Hare, the FAA has reduced the number of arriving flights per hour due to staffing shortages, resulting in average delays of 41 minutes.
Despite ongoing pay issues during the shutdown, approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are required to work. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted an increase in sick leaves and significant staffing cuts, as controllers are set to receive partial paychecks for pre-shutdown work.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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