Travel nightmare at major US airports as staff shortages spark delays,
Travelers at airports across Texas are facing fresh headaches as the government shutdown will affect flights for several hours Monday night.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced new ground delays at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and Dallas Love Field.
The delays are set to last until at least 9pm ET, potentially affecting hundreds of flights at the three airports.
Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) is one of the nation’s busiest airports, serving approximately 1,800 flights and connecting over 200 domestic and international destinations.
The ground delay at the major travel hub is set to begin at 6pm and will last until at least 10pm.
The delays are the latest slowdowns throughout the US as the Department of Transportation deals with a shortage of air traffic control staff during the ongoing government shutdown.
Staffing shortages have been growing since the shutdown began on October 1.
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers nationwide are considered essential, meaning they’re required to work without pay.
On Friday, over 6,200 flights into or out of the US were delayed due to ground stops scattered throughout the country.
Another 493 US flights were cancelled that day, with most of the trouble centered in the New York area.
Currently, delays at Dallas Love Field have hit travelers the hardest, with wait times growing to an hour and 14 minutes.
The ground delay at the smallest of the three Texas airports began at 3.33pm and is scheduled last until 11pm.
After a brief ground stop at Austin-Bergstrom International, with all flights held on the runway Monday afternoon, delays have now ballooned to one hour.
The FAA has warned that additional ground stops may be issued at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport, both in Virginia.
Elsewhere, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest airport, has reportedly faced lingering delays due to the ongoing staffing shortages.
The government shutdown is now in its 34th day, with the White House, transportation unions, and airline CEOs all agreeing that air traffic controllers need to go back to work as the situation at airports grows more dangerous by the day.
National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Nick Daniels called the lack of pay a dangerous distraction to staff.
‘America’s air traffic controllers are now having to focus on how they put gas in the car, how do they take care of their children, how do they pay for child care,’ Daniels said last week.
‘Every day that this shutdown drags on, the system becomes less safe.’
Delta and United Airlines both called on Democrats to end the government shutdown by passing a clean continuing resolution (CR) in the US Senate, which would provide funding for government workers for 21 days.
