Flights bound for Los Angeles International Airport experienced a temporary halt due to a shortage of staff at a Southern California air traffic facility, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Sunday. The FAA also mentioned delays in Chicago, Washington, and Newark, New Jersey, all attributed to staffing issues.
The FAA initiated a brief ground stop at one of the busiest airports globally following comments by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who warned of increased flight disruptions as air traffic controllers work without pay during the government shutdown. Duffy highlighted an uptick in sick calls among controllers due to financial concerns adding to their already stressful roles.
Planes destined for Los Angeles were held at originating airports from 11:42 a.m. Eastern time, with the ground stop lifted at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. While this pause did not significantly impact operations at LAX, flight delays were more pronounced at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport due to weather and equipment issues, according to the FAA.
Insufficient air traffic controllers per shift led to disruptions in takeoffs and arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport, Teteboro Airport in New Jersey, and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Additionally, traffic flow into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport was slowed on Sunday evening due to staffing constraints, as stated by the FAA.