Air traffic controller shortages emerge, US transportation secretary says
Source: Reuters
October 26, 2025 1:55 PM EDT Updated 3 hours ago
WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - U.S. airports reported more than 20 incidents of air traffic controller shortages on Saturday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, in the latest sign of the government shutdown's impact.
Some 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers must work even if they are not being paid during the shutdown, which started on October 1 as lawmakers deadlocked over the federal budget. The Trump administration has warned that flight disruptions will increase as controllers miss their first full paycheck on Tuesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday had 22 "triggers" that indicated shortages of air traffic controllers, Duffy told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" program. He called that figure "one of the highest that we've seen in the system" since October 1. "That's a sign that the controllers are wearing thin," Duffy said.
The state of air safety has been closely watched for signs of an increase in delays or cancellations, as observers look for anything that shows the shutdown is making life harder for Americans, which in turn could pressure lawmakers to break the deadlock. According to FlightAware, a flight tracking website, there were more than 5,300 U.S. flight delays on Saturday and more than 2,500 by 12 p.m. ET on Sunday. Delays have often been above average since the shutdown began.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/air-traffic-controller-shortages-emerge-us-transportation-secretary-says-2025-10-26/
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