More Than 5,600 US Flights Delayed as Government Shutdown Drags On

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that about 13,000 air traffic controllers are going to be unpaid.

A traffic control tower at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles on July 1, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

More than 5,600 flights across the United States were delayed on Oct. 27 primarily due to air traffic controller staffing shortages, as the federal government shutdown entered its fourth week.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said ground delay programs were put in place at major airports like Newark Airport in New Jersey, Austin Airport in Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.