Several airports across the United States are experiencing disruptions as air traffic controllers, who are currently working unpaid, face increased pressure due to the ongoing US government shutdown.
The shutdown has almost reached its seventh day after federal budget talks between Congress and US President Donald Trump broke down over Democrat healthcare funding demands.
The shutdown has put FAA operations under pressure, resulting in over 13,000 air traffic controllers and essential staff working without pay, while the agency’s routine functions such as rulemaking, background checks, and facility upgrades remain on pause.
Widespread airport disruptions
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on X that Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) had no air traffic controllers from 16:15 to 22:00 local time on October 6, 2025, due to the government shutdown.
“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank Airport,” the airport announced on October 7, 2025, advising passengers to check with their airline for updates on potential delays or cancellations before arriving.
On the evening of October 6, 2025, flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) were delayed for an average of 53 minutes, according to the FAA. Denver International Airport (DEN) also reported average delays of 39 minutes.
ATC controllers under stress, small communities at risk
During a press conference held on October 6, 2025, at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in Newark, US Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Sean Duffy stated that the shutdown “makes it more challenging for [air traffic controllers] to do their jobs”.
“This doesn’t just end after the Democrats decide to open up the government,” Duffy said. “It has a longer lasting impact on our ability to make up the ground in the shortages that we have right now with air traffic controllers.”
While speaking at the conference, Duffy recognized that the government shutdown has increased stress among air traffic controllers.
“If we think there are issues in the airspace, we will shut it down. But again, it’s creating a ripple effect for our air traffic controllers,” he explained. “This shutdown has put way more stress on our air traffic controllers at a time when they’re already working on equipment from the 1960s, 1980s, 1990s.”
Duffy also mentioned that the government shutdown will affect the US aviation industry by stopping funding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which connects airlines to communities that typically lack such services.
This program offers federal subsidies to support air service in smaller or remote areas, allowing airlines to keep routes that might not be profitable otherwise. Duffy indicated that federal funding for this program will expire on October 12, 2025.
“There are many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” he said. “The number one user of this airspace is Alaska.”
FAA warns against prolonged shutdown
Frank Macintosh, the Chief Operating Officer at the FAA, mentioned during the conference that it is important to make sure that the government shutdown “is not prolonged”.
“We need to make sure we do not lose the momentum that we finally gained over the last nine months,” Macintosh said. “We’re in the process of modernizing a very complicated aircraft control system.”
Government shutdowns lasting more than a day or two are rare. The previous US federal government shutdown, which was also the longest on record, happened during Trump’s first term in 2018 and lasted for 35 days.
