US flight delays spike as air traffic controller absences increase; 3.2 million passengers impacted

U.S. officials delayed a new round of flights on Monday as airlines said 3.2 million air passengers have been hit by delays or canceled flights due to a spike in air traffic controller absences amid a lack of pay as the government shutdown entered its 34th day.

The FAA said there were ground delays at airports in Dallas and Austin due to air traffic controller shortages. Nearly 2,900 flights have been delayed on Monday and further delays could be issued for Houston and Washington airports, the FAA said.

The shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers to work without pay and snarled tens of thousands of flights.


Earlier, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned the Trump administration would shutter the U.S. aviation system if he thought an ongoing government shutdown was making it too risky to travel.

"If we thought that it was unsafe... we'll shut the whole airspace down. We won't let people travel. We're not there at this point. It's just significant delays," Duffy told CNBC.

On Friday, the FAA said nearly half of the 30 busiest U.S. airports faced shortages of air traffic controllers, leading to more than 6,200 flights being delayed and 500 canceled, in the single worst day since the shutdown began.

In New York on Friday 80% of air traffic controllers were absent, the agency said. Duffy said 65% of delays Friday were caused by controller absences.

More than 3.2 million passengers have had flights delayed or canceled due to air traffic control staffing issues since the shutdown began on October 1 -- including 300,000 Friday alone -- said Airlines for America, which represents American Airlines , United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways and other major carriers.

The group said 16% of delays were because of staffing issues in October, up from the typical 5% before the shutdown, a figure that has grown to 79% in the first two days of November.

Airlines have been reaching out to lawmakers to raise concerns about the impact of the disruptions on operations.

United CEO Scott Kirby said the ongoing shutdown was impacting flight bookings and airlines are concerned about the looming start of the holiday travel season.

Duffy also said he has no plans to fire air traffic controllers who are calling in sick, saying they "are trying to put food on their families' table. I am asking all of them to come to work."

A growing number of air traffic controller absences during the 34-day-old government shutdown have led to dramatic delays at U.S. airports. Absences by Transportation Security Administration security officers have led to very long lines at San Diego and Houston airports in recent days. Houston Bush had more than three-hour-long security lines on Sunday.

On Saturday there were 4,600 delays and 173 canceled flights, and on Sunday 5,800 delays and 244 canceled flights.

AIRLINES URGE CONGRESS TO END SHUTDOWN

The largest four airlines and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association have all called on Congress to quickly pass a stop-gap funding bill to let the government reopen. Airlines have repeatedly urged an end to the shutdown, citing aviation safety risks.

The shutdown has exacerbated existing staffing shortages, threatening to cause widespread disruptions similar to those that helped end a 35-day government shutdown in 2019.

The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and many had been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown.