US shutdown: air system collapses amid delays, staff shortages and security risk
In the United States, the federal shutdown is turning into a crisis for air travel. With the shutdown of [...]
United States of America
In the United States, the federal shutdown is turning into a crisis for air transportation. With the budget freeze lasting for weeks now, more than 63 thousand TSA employees and nearly 13 thousand air traffic controllers are working without pay, putting a strain on the resilience of the National Airspace System (NAS), the network that handles thousands of takeoffs and landings in the country every day.
FAA on alert: "Safety is non-negotiable."
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La Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an unprecedented warning that unpaid staff stress and fatigue are causing a surge in absenteeism and a drop in efficiency at the busiest control centers. "We will never compromise on security," the agency reiterated, explaining that in the absence of resources the only option is reduce air traffic, with a chain of delays and cancellations now stretching nationwide.
Even before the shutdown, the FAA estimated a deficit of about 3,000 controllers than the required staffing levels-a structural problem, exacerbated by the resumption of post-pandemic traffic and the long time it takes to train new ATCs. Today, with thousands of professionals forced to work extended shifts without pay, the situation has degenerated into a staffing and morale crisis that threatens the regularity of flights.
Airports in chaos: New York City in a tailspin.
The most affected ports of call are those on the East Coast. A New York (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark) absences among controllers peaked at 80%, with average delays of more than two hours and frequent "ground stops." Significant disruptions also occurred at Boston, Washington, Chicago and Orlando, where delays touch up to 20% of flights.
Airlines report rising costs and increasingly fragile operations, while Vice President JD Vance warned that "if the blockade lasts until Thanksgiving, it will be a disaster."
Passengers and operators in the trenches
The national union NATCA urged controllers to ensure safety as long as possible, but called the current condition "unsustainable." The FAA meanwhile urges passengers to check the status of flights before departure and to consult real-time air traffic conditions on nasstatus.faa.gov. But until Congress comes to an agreement, the world's largest airline network risks being held hostage to an unprecedented crisis.
