On Sunday, October 26, 2025, travelers across the United States faced a wave of flight delays and ground stops as the ongoing federal government shutdown began to take a visible toll on the nation’s air travel system. From coast to coast, major airports—including some of the busiest in the world—struggled to maintain normal operations amid acute staffing shortages, especially among air traffic controllers who have now gone nearly four weeks without pay.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was among the hardest hit. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Newark issued a ground delay lasting until just before 1 a.m. local time the following day, with flights delayed an average of 82 minutes. Meanwhile, in Boston, Logan International Airport was forced to halt operations on one of its runways until 4:30 p.m. due to a disabled aircraft, compounding the day’s disruptions. But it was Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), the West Coast’s busiest hub, that became the focal point of the crisis early Sunday morning. A staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility triggered a temporary ground stop at LAX starting at 8:42 a.m. Pacific time (11:42 a.m. Eastern), with the restriction lifted about two hours later at 10:30 a.m. local time.
During the stoppage, departing flights for Oakland and other destinations were held back, leaving passengers facing average delays of 49 minutes—though some waited as long as 87 minutes, according to KTLA. Even after the ground stop was lifted, the FAA continued to urge travelers to check their flight statuses, as the ripple effects of the disruption lingered throughout the afternoon.
The situation at LAX was far from unique. Airports across the country experienced similar headaches. San Francisco International Airport issued a ground delay until nearly 2 a.m. the following day, with flights running about 44 minutes behind schedule. Temporary delays—typically ranging from 15 to 30 minutes—were reported at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Dallas Love Field, Denver International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Orlando International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. In some cases, weather and equipment issues played a role, but the FAA’s own advisories repeatedly cited “staffing triggers” and traffic management initiatives as primary causes.
The root of the crisis, officials say, is the protracted government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025. With Congress deadlocked over the federal budget, funding for the FAA and other key agencies lapsed, forcing air traffic controllers and other essential personnel to work without pay. As the shutdown dragged into its 26th day, stress and financial hardship began to mount for these workers—many of whom, as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy noted, live paycheck to paycheck.
“I’ve been out talking to air traffic controllers and you can see the stress,” Duffy told Fox News on Sunday. “These are people that oftentimes live paycheck to paycheck or one controller has a stay-at-home spouse. They’re concerned about gas in the car, they’re concerned about child care and mortgages.”
According to Duffy, the number of air traffic controllers calling in sick or missing work has risen sharply as the shutdown drags on, leading to critical staffing shortages at airports nationwide. “Just yesterday, ... we had 22 staffing triggers. That’s one of the highest that we have seen in the system since the shutdown began. And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin,” he said on Sunday.
The FAA, for its part, has been unable to respond to routine media inquiries due to the funding lapse. An automatic reply from the agency referenced the staffing challenges, stating, “As [Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy] has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system. When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe [operations].”
In practice, this means that when staffing falls below safe levels, the FAA has little choice but to slow or even halt air traffic at affected airports. Duffy emphasized his commitment to safety, telling Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo, “My job is to keep the airspace safe. And so, if I don’t feel like I have enough controllers or enough controllers that are focused, we will slow down traffic, we will stop traffic.”
The impact of the staffing crisis has been widespread. Less than a week into the shutdown, Hollywood Burbank Airport saw its air traffic control tower go unstaffed, resulting in the cancellation of 12 flights and average delays of over two and a half hours. On October 26, the FAA’s operations plan listed staffing shortages at major airports from LAX to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Philadelphia International Airport. At Newark Liberty International Airport and Teteboro Airport in New Jersey, as well as Southwest Florida International Airport, takeoff and arrival disruptions were attributed directly to too few controllers per shift.
While some delays were weather-related, the majority stemmed from a lack of personnel. The situation has grown so dire that California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office took to social media to criticize Secretary Duffy. “Hell of a job, @SecDuffy,” Newsom’s office posted on X, sharing a news story about the LAX ground stop. “Can’t wait to see what you do with NASA.” The jab reflected growing frustration at the state level as local economies and travelers bore the brunt of the national impasse.
This isn’t the first time a federal government shutdown has thrown the nation’s airports into chaos. In January 2019, a wave of air traffic controllers called in sick in New York City, prompting the FAA to temporarily halt flights into LaGuardia Airport. The resulting gridlock and public outcry forced lawmakers to broker a deal. But this year, with Republicans and Democrats in Washington deeply entrenched, there’s little sign of a breakthrough. As the days tick by, the risk to air travel—and public safety—only grows.
For now, travelers are left to navigate a patchwork of delays and uncertainty, with no clear end in sight. The FAA continues to advise passengers to check the latest updates on its website, but with staffing shortages expected to persist as long as the shutdown continues, the prospect of further disruptions looms large. As Secretary Duffy put it, “That’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin.” The nation’s patience may soon follow.
