FAA Faces Widespread Airport Staffing Shortages Amid Shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is struggling to maintain normal operations as staffing shortages spread across U.S. airports during the ongoing government shutdown. Air traffic controllers and other essential aviation personnel continue to work without pay, while critical support staff have been furloughed—raising growing concerns about safety, morale, and the risk of flight delays nationwide.

Reports from multiple airports on Monday night confirmed staffing gaps at several air traffic control facilities, including Hollywood Burbank Airport in California, Newark Liberty International in New Jersey, and Denver International Airport in Colorado. In Burbank, the control tower was left temporarily unmanned for several hours, forcing air traffic responsibilities to be shifted to San Diego’s radar approach center. The reduced capacity caused arrival and departure delays, though the airport remained open.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged that there has been a “slight increase” in sick calls since the shutdown began. He said that while safety remains the FAA’s top priority, reduced staffing inevitably limits how many flights can safely operate. “If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people,” Duffy told reporters.

Under federal law, air traffic controllers are considered essential employees and are required to work even during a shutdown, though they do so without pay until the government reopens. Their union, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), said the situation highlights the fragility of the nation’s aviation system, which was already under pressure from a national controller shortage long before the funding lapse.

“It is normal for a few controllers to call in sick on any given day,” the union said in a statement, “but this is another example of how vulnerable the system has become in the midst of a nationwide staffing crisis.”

The FAA has faced chronic staffing challenges for years, operating roughly 3,000 controllers short of its target levels. Hiring and training new recruits can take several years, meaning any prolonged government shutdown could worsen the shortage and delay new classes of trainees.

The shutdown, now entering its second week, has stalled funding for several key aviation modernization projects and training programs. Senate negotiations to reopen the government remain deadlocked, with no breakthrough in sight.

The situation evokes memories of the 2019 shutdown, when unpaid air traffic controllers began calling in sick in large numbers, forcing flight cancellations and delays at major hubs such as LaGuardia and Newark. Industry experts warn that if the current standoff continues, similar disruptions could occur again.

For now, flights across the country continue to operate, but with fewer personnel, longer wait times, and growing uncertainty. As the FAA juggles reduced resources with full responsibility for air safety, both passengers and aviation professionals are bracing for further turbulence in the days ahead.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com, cbsnews.com