đź”— Share this article American Airport Chaos Worsens as Staffing Shortages Intensify During Federal Closure Passengers throughout America are bracing for growing disruptions as workforce gaps at airports further deteriorate during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now entering its seventh day. Escalating Worries Over Aviation System Union representatives for flight controllers and security screeners have cautioned that the circumstances is expected to worsen, with workforce issues documented at several key airports including facilities in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia. "The potential of broader effects to the American air travel network is growing by the day," stated aviation expert Henry Harteveldt. He expressed serious worry that should the closure persist, it could potentially disrupt millions of Americans' holiday travel arrangements in November. Travel Disruptions and Operational Challenges Staffing shortages, featuring an increased rate of workers taking sick leave, impacted major airports around Denver, Los Angeles and New York on Monday, resulting in delays for over 6,000 flights across the country. The Burbank facility's air traffic control was temporarily closed and operations were handled by another facility Nashville airport reported postponements averaging 120 minutes due to staffing issues O'Hare Airport in Chicago recorded typical postponements of nearly three-quarters of an hour The DFW airport had postponements recorded at 30 minutes Industry Response and Labor Stance The National Air Traffic Controllers Association emphasized that it does not support any organized actions that could adversely impact the national flight network. The organization stated that flight controllers value their duty to ensure passenger security extremely earnestly and participating in any job action could lead to termination of employment. Official Viewpoint The Transportation Department head Sean Duffy alerted that the country's air traffic control system is being harmed from the continuing federal closure. "They aren't only thinking about the airspace," he remarked regarding flight controllers who are working without pay. "They're thinking about, 'Am I going to get a paycheck'?" He observed that many controllers depend on regular income and cannot afford prolonged durations without compensation. Wider Consequences Based on contingency planning, approximately 25% of the workforce, or more than 11,000 aviation administration workers, were furloughed when the closure started last week. Nevertheless, 13,000 air traffic controllers remain on duty, with recruitment and instruction continuing as well. Labor leader Nick Daniels pointed out that the closure has emphasized preexisting issues faced by flight controllers, including staff shortages and aging technology. He explained that the circumstances is especially serious at smaller airports where reduced personnel creates further difficulties. Regardless of the extensive postponements, aviation analytics indicated that roughly 92% of departures from American airports departed as scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon. The Federal Aviation Administration had not issued a "staffing trigger" that would decrease the flight volume in and out of airports, indicating that activities were proceeding despite the challenges.