Shutdown Leaves FAA, TSA Short-Staffed, Delays

The federal government shutdown, now in its second month, has left FAA air-traffic controllers (nearly 13,000 reported working without pay) and TSA workers on the job without pay, triggering mandatory overtime, rising sick calls and severe staffing shortages that are straining the national aviation system. Specific facilities are operating with curtailed staffing — Syracuse Hancock is operating at roughly 54% of certified controller staffing while handling about 188 daily flights, and Orlando experienced a night shift with no certified controllers, prompting hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations. Houston’s Bush Intercontinental and other airports have reported multi-hour TSA lines (as long as three hours) and closed checkpoint lanes, while flight tracking services and FAA advisories show thousands of delays and hundreds of cancellations nationwide with ripple effects at major hubs including Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles and Newark. The FAA and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasize safety remains the priority — Duffy said he would shut U.S. airspace if it became unsafe and warned the shutdown’s effects could persist after it ends — and airports are using ground stops and other operational measures. Airlines and some airports are offering support to affected federal workers, but uncertainty over pay and staffing continues to threaten holiday travel plans and officials are urging travelers to check flight status and arrive earlier than usual.