Flight Disruptions Surge In Major U.s. Airports: New York, New Jersey, Texas, And Washington Struggle With Air Traffic Control Shortages – All That Flyers Need To Know

Published on October 24, 2025

The United States is presently experiencing important disruptions successful aerial travel, chiefly owed to staffing shortages astatine awesome airports successful New York, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and Texas. These delays travel amid nan ongoing U.S. authorities shutdown, which has now entered its 23rd day, putting a strain connected aerial postulation power operations. While travelers crossed nan state look delays, those successful areas specified arsenic LaGuardia, Newark, Houston, and Washington National are encountering nan longest hold times.

The business has escalated arsenic nan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports aerial postulation power staffing issues affecting 10 different airports. As nan shutdown continues, 13,000 aerial postulation controllers and complete 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are required to activity without pay. Consequently, these workers person been absent much frequently, adding to nan delays and operational difficulties astatine nan nation’s busiest airports.

Major U.S. Airports Affected by Staffing Issues

Several awesome airports, including LaGuardia, Newark Liberty, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, and Ronald Reagan Washington National, person seen important delays. At Reagan National alone, passengers are experiencing delays averaging 31 minutes. However, LaGuardia is seeing delays of much than 62 minutes connected average.

In consequence to nan staffing crisis, nan FAA has issued ground stops astatine some Houston Bush and Newark airports, halting immoderate flights to negociate nan airspace and alleviate unit connected nan aerial postulation power system. According to FlightAware, an aviation search site, complete 4,200 flights were delayed crossed nan U.S. connected a azygous day, pinch 15% of flights astatine Reagan, Newark, and LaGuardia delayed. Houston Bush besides saw delays affecting astir 13% of flights.

Impact of nan Government Shutdown

The U.S. authorities shutdown has worsened nan situation, arsenic workers, including aerial postulation controllers, person not been paid for astir a month. Historically, during authorities shutdowns, absences summation arsenic workers miss their paychecks, starring to delays and accrued information risks. The ongoing business threatens to escalate arsenic workers miss their first afloat paycheck this coming week. This has led to heightened concerns that formation delays will worsen, particularly complete nan weekend arsenic much controllers return clip disconnected owed to nan financial strain.

Airlines and Unions Urge Resolution

Both unions and airlines are calling for swift action to extremity nan shutdown, arsenic nan effect connected aerial recreation could beryllium devastating successful nan coming weeks, peculiarly during nan holiday season. Similar disruptions occurred successful 2019 during a prolonged 35-day shutdown, which led to airport delays and aerial postulation restrictions successful New York and Washington, D.C.

Travel Tips for Affected Passengers

For travelers readying to alert successful nan coming days, it’s important to enactment updated connected formation statuses and imaginable delays. Here are a fewer tips:

• Check formation statuses regularly: Use formation search sites for illustration FlightAware aliases charismatic hose apps to show real-time updates.
• Arrive early: Allow other clip astatine nan airport, arsenic information checks and aerial postulation guidance whitethorn return longer than usual.
• Consider replacement airports: If flying to awesome hubs for illustration LaGuardia aliases Newark, see utilizing adjacent airports to debar agelong delays.
• Plan for longer layovers: With aerial postulation power delays, connecting flights whitethorn beryllium affected. Try to let much clip betwixt flights.
• Pack snacks and entertainment: Longer waits whitethorn beryllium inevitable, truthful having essentials for illustration snacks, drinks, and intermezo tin make nan hold much comfortable.

Looking Ahead

As nan U.S. authorities shutdown continues to unfold, nan effects connected aerial recreation are expected to persist. The nonaccomplishment of thousands of aerial postulation controllers, mixed pinch further unit from nan vacation play recreation rush, intends passengers should expect ongoing delays and imaginable cancellations.

Despite nan difficulties, travelers should stay elastic and proactive successful readying their journeys. The business remains fluid, and authorities are urging a solution to guarantee nan information and ratio of aerial recreation moving forward.