Flight delays persist as government shutdown leads to air traffic controller shortages

"Flight delays continued at U.S. airports Sunday amid air traffic controller shortages as the government shutdown entered its second month, with Newark airport in New Jersey experiencing delays of two to three hours. New York City's Emergency Management office said on X that Newark delays often ripple out to the region's other airports. Travelers flying to, from or through New York should expect schedule changes, gate holds, and missed connections. Anyone flying today should check flight status before heading to the airport and expect longer waits, the social media post added."

"We work overtime to make sure the system is safe. And we will slow traffic down, you'll see delays, we'll have flights canceled to make sure the system is safe, Duffy said Sunday on CBS'S Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan. He also said he does not plan to fire air traffic controllers who don't show up for work. Again when they're making decisions to feed their families, I'm not going to fire air traffic controllers, Duffy said."

Widespread flight delays and cancellations affected major U.S. airports as air traffic controller shortages persisted during the government shutdown. Newark experienced two- to three-hour delays that often ripple to nearby airports, prompting warnings of schedule changes, gate holds, missed connections and longer waits. Dozens of delays and some cancellations were reported at Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Chicago O'Hare and major airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and Miami. FlightAware reported 4,295 delays and 557 cancellations within, into or out of the U.S. as of Sunday evening. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of growing disruptions, said controllers will not be fired for missing work, and called for support and paychecks.

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