Flight Delays in the US Set to Worsen, Transportation Secretary Warns

US air traffic controllers are increasingly looking for second jobs and calling in sick, as they remain on duty unpaid amid the government shutdown, the transport chief has announced.

"These professionals are wearing thin," Sean Duffy informed a news outlet on Sunday, as some flights were grounded on the California shoreline due to staffing shortages.

Following the government shut down on 1 October, flight controllers, who are considered essential workers, were told to continue performing their duties without pay.

But a number have been absent, causing airports to stop or slow their flight operations, which has added to delays caused by weather and other issues.

More than 3,000 American flights were delayed on Sunday, and Duffy stated he anticipates the circumstances to grow worse.

"I observe the pressure," Duffy remarked in an discussion on Sunday Morning Futures, adding that he had spoken to several controllers to listen to their concerns directly.

"They are pursuing second jobs, they're out there searching, 'Can I drive Uber, am I able to find an alternative of earnings to make ends meet?'" he added.

Duffy further mentioned that on Saturday twenty-two notifications at airports indicated flights would be held up due to a lack of workers - among the peak after the shutdown began.

The American federal closure reached its 26th day on Sunday, rendering it the second most extended shutdown in history.

Duffy has consistently cautioned that flight authorities would reduce the quantity of planes in the air if there is a deficit of safety personnel.

In his interview, he declined to respond straightforwardly when asked if it was safe to fly in the United States, and instead made a direct appeal to the professionals.

"I require my staff concentrating on the airspace, not on the monetary matters at their households," the official stated.

On Sunday, certain flights were stopped at Los Angeles International Airport due to staffing shortages, leading to disruption at the fifth-busiest airport in the country and among the most crowded in the globe, as well as additional travel extending north to the city of Oakland, California.

The Federal Aviation Administration notice went out at 8:45 AM local time on Sunday. Numerous trips were back on schedule by midday.

Flights at Newark Liberty International Airport, however, were delayed an average of 82 minutes due to personnel issues, and the authority said DFW, the second most active airport in the country, could experience difficulties from reduced staff later in the day.

The FAA advised passengers in California to consult airlines about revised departure times.

The situation precedes Game 3 of the championship, which is scheduled in LA on Monday night, and about one month prior to the Thanksgiving break, one of the busiest periods to fly in the United States.

Pressure on American aviation contributed to ending a federal closure in 2019. Back then, the shutdown had reached its fifth week and affected airline operations, including pilot training.

It led several air traffic controllers to remain absent on the identical date on 25 January 2019, briefly halting movement at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

That same day, the former president, who at the time was in his initial presidency as president, consented to approve a temporary funding measure, effectively ending the federal closure after 35 days.