FAA Issues Warning Over Air Traffic Control Staffing Shortages Amid Government Shutdown

By Michael Katz | Friday, 31 October 2025 09:58 PM EDT

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday issued an operations advisory warning of staffing shortages—referred to as “staffing triggers”—at multiple major air-traffic-control facilities due to the ongoing government shutdown. The alert highlighted concerns that flight delays could spread nationwide during the Halloween weekend.

The advisory, released by the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center, identified staffing triggers affecting key sectors such as the New York Center, Philadelphia Area C, Washington National Airport operations, Boston TRACON, and Minneapolis Center Area 1. The FAA uses “staffing triggers” to signal when controller levels fall below minimum thresholds, potentially leading to flight-flow restrictions or rerouting for safety.

The shutdown, now in its 31st day, has left thousands of federal employees—including air-traffic controllers—working without pay as Congress remains deadlocked over a funding bill. The FAA stated that nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working unpaid for weeks to ensure the safety of over 50,000 daily operations across the national airspace system.

“Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks, ensuring the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the national airspace system,” the FAA wrote on X. “As we head into this weekend, a surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the NAS.”

The agency reported that half of its Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, with nearly 80% of air traffic controllers absent at New York-area facilities. After 31 days without pay, controllers face “immense stress and fatigue,” according to the FAA. The warning emphasized that staffing dips could lead to delays or cancellations as the FAA reduces air traffic flow to maintain safety.

A 2024 report linked staffing deficits at high-volume facilities to approximately 40% of system-wide delays. While the FAA has accelerated controller training and reassignments, it warned rebuilding the workforce to pre-pandemic levels could take years.

For travelers, the advisory underscores that delays are not always weather-related. When staffing falls below critical thresholds, even routine operations can slow. The FAA urged passengers to monitor flight updates at Fly.FAA.gov and allow extra time for travel over the holiday weekend.

Major hubs in the Northeast corridor—including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C.—are most at risk for delays due to current staffing levels, heavy traffic, and ongoing runway maintenance at several airports.

Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting on news, culture, and politics.