File picture of Reagan Washington National Airport | Photo Credit: Reuters
According to FlightAware, a flight monitoring web site, there have been greater than 5,900 U.S. flight delays by 6 p.m.
Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Sunday (October 26, 2025) and greater than 5,300 on Saturday (October 25, 2025). Since the shutdown started on October 1, delays have usually been above common.
The state of air security has been carefully watched for indicators of elevated delays or cancellations, as observers search for indications that the shutdown is making life tougher for Americans. This, in flip, might strain lawmakers to interrupt the funds impasse that led to the shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday (October 25, 2025) had 22 “triggers” that indicated shortages of air site visitors controllers, Mr. Duffy advised the Fox News “Sunday (October 26, 2025) Morning Futures” program. He referred to as that determine “one of many highest that we’ve seen within the system” since October 1.
“That’s an indication that the controllers are sporting skinny,” Mr. Duffy stated. The FAA web site stated floor delay packages had been issued due to staffing shortages on Sunday (October 26, 2025) at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, Washington’s Reagan National Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
The company additionally issued a floor cease at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday (October 26, 2025) resulting from site visitors controller staffing shortages round 11:30 a.m. (1530 GMT), which was lifted later though delays continued.
The Trump administration has warned that flight disruptions will improve as controllers miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday (October 28, 2025).
Air site visitors controllers obtained a paycheck two weeks in the past at 90% of their common pay. But Tuesday’s (October 28, 2025) payday would have been for his or her first pay interval solely for work in October.
Controllers going through the prospect of lacking a federal paycheck are searching for different sources of revenue, Mr. Duffy stated.
“They’re taking second jobs, they’re on the market trying,” he stated.
Some 13,000 air site visitors controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers should work even when they don’t seem to be being paid in the course of the shutdown.
The FAA is about 3,500 air site visitors controllers in need of focused staffing ranges and lots of had been working obligatory extra time and six-day weeks even earlier than the shutdown.
In 2019, throughout a 35-day shutdown, the variety of absences by controllers and TSA officers rose as employees missed paychecks, extending wait instances at some airport examine factors. Authorities had been compelled to gradual air site visitors in New York and Washington.
Mr. Duffy and different Republicans have criticised Democrats for opposing a “clear” short-term funding invoice with no strings hooked up. Democrats criticise President Donald Trump and Republicans for refusing to barter over well being care subsidies that expire on the finish of the 12 months.
Published – October 27, 2025 06:36 am IST
