US Airports Report Delays Amid Staffing Issues Due to Government Shutdown

An increasing number of air traffic controllers have called in sick since the shutdown began, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said.

A plane docks on the tarmac after an air traffic control outage, bringing flights to a standstill at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., on May 12, 2025. Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Major U.S. airports have reported experiencing flight delays amid the shutdown of the federal government.

Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy told reporters on Monday that air traffic control towers were experiencing staffing issues, with an increasing number of air traffic controllers calling in sick since the shutdown began.