With 13,000 FAA air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA officers working without pay, US airports face staffing shortfalls, thousands of delays and mounting safety concerns as the shutdown stretches on.
China’s Airports Brace for Delays as US Shutdown Hits Air Traffic Network
The month-long US government shutdown has left the nation’s air-traffic system strained as 13,000 FAA air traffic controllers continue to work without pay and 50,000 TSA officers remain on the job unpaid, prompting growing concerns about fatigue, absences and rising flight disruptions.
Controllers and airport staff say the pressure is mounting: some workers are taking sick leave because of exhaustion, while others feel coerced to keep working despite missed paychecks. Former controllers and union representatives describe a workforce that is “overworked and underpaid,” warning that prolonged shutdown conditions increase the risk of human error and system slowdowns.
Operational impacts are already visible. Flight tracking data and media reporting show thousands of delays and hundreds of cancellations over recent days, with one snapshot reporting more than 5,600 delays and around 500 cancellations on a single day according to FlightAware and press accounts. Major hubs including New York and Dallas reported significant disruption as a number of FAA facilities reported staffing shortages.
