đź”— Share this article US Airport Chaos Worsens as Staffing Shortages Intensify During Federal Closure Travelers throughout America are preparing for growing disruptions as workforce gaps at airports further deteriorate during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now entering its seventh day. Growing Concerns Over Aviation System Union representatives for flight controllers and security screeners have cautioned that the circumstances is likely to deteriorate, with workforce issues documented at multiple major airports including locations such as Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville and Philadelphia. "The potential of wider impacts to the US aviation system continues to increase by the day," commented travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt. He expressed grave concern that if the shutdown continues, it could potentially disrupt countless American holiday travel arrangements in November. Travel Disruptions and Operational Issues Workforce gaps, featuring an increased rate of employees calling in sick, impacted key facilities around New York, Los Angeles and Denver on Monday, causing delays for over 6,000 flights nationwide. Burbank airport's air traffic control was briefly shut down and responsibilities were managed by another facility Nashville airport experienced postponements averaging 120 minutes due to staffing issues O'Hare Airport in Chicago showed typical postponements of nearly three-quarters of an hour Dallas-Fort Worth experienced postponements recorded at half an hour Industry Response and Labor Stance The primary air traffic controllers union stressed that it does not endorse any coordinated activities that could negatively affect the National Airspace System. The organization clarified that air traffic controllers value their duty to protect public safety very seriously and participating in any work stoppage could lead to termination of employment. Official Viewpoint Transportation Secretary the transportation official warned that the country's air traffic control system is suffering damage from the continuing federal closure. "They aren't only thinking about the airspace," he commented regarding flight controllers who are not receiving salaries. "They're thinking about, 'Am I going to get a paycheck'?" The official noted that many controllers depend on regular income and cannot afford extended periods without payment. Wider Consequences According to contingency planning, approximately 25% of the employees, or over eleven thousand FAA employees, were furloughed when the shutdown began last week. However, 13,000 air traffic controllers remain on duty, with hiring and training continuing as well. Labor leader Nick Daniels indicated that the closure has emphasized preexisting issues encountered by flight controllers, including staff shortages and aging technology. He explained that the situation is especially serious at smaller airports where limited staffing creates further difficulties. Despite the extensive postponements, aviation analytics indicated that approximately ninety-two percent of departures from American airports departed as scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon. The Federal Aviation Administration had not activated a "workforce threshold" that would reduce the number of flights in and out of airports, suggesting that operations were continuing despite the difficulties.