FAA reports staffing shortages, weather cause flight delays nationwide

The Federal Aviation Administration released an updated operations plan Thursday outlining how staffing shortages and weather continue to impact air traffic control (ATC) facilities across the country.

At least nine ATC facilities have been identified by the FAA as affected by staffing and weather shortages:

• PHL Region C (Newark)
• BDL (Hartford Bradley)
• ZDC District 5 (Washington, DC)
• ZBW Zone D (Boston/Northeast)
• ROA Ops (Roanoke Tower, Virginia)
• ORD Ops (Chicago Tower)
• F11 Ops (Central Florida)
• Southeast/Southwest ZAB (Albuquerque center, covering Arizona and New Mexico)
• ZID District 1 (Indianapolis)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is bracing for nationwide aviation disruptions with air traffic controller shortages at major airports

As of Friday morning, the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center website showed no active ground delays at any airport and said, “Air traffic is currently experiencing delays of less than 15 minutes.”

However, delays were reported on the ground in Houston, Calgary, LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark (EWR) Thursday evening due to staff shortages, weather, low visibility and wind.

The flight status board in Terminal C of Orlando International Airport shows several delays. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images/Getty Images)

This update comes amid nationwide air traffic disruptions due to the federal government shutdown.

Previous Fox Business reports cited console shortages in Washington, Philadelphia, Albuquerque, Denver, Los Angeles and Central Florida, with more than 2,000 delays and 50 cancellations recorded on Wednesday.

American Airlines plane aborts takeoff after invading runway LAX

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News Channel’s Will Kaine on Wednesday that staffing shortages typically account for about 5% of flight delays, but that number has risen to about 53% in recent days.

“Normally, about 5% of flight delays are due to staff shortages. In the past few days, that number has jumped to 53% due to staff shortages,” Duffy said.

Travelers wait in line to get their delayed luggage after United Airlines flights were grounded. (Ryan Murphy/Reuters)

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He added that many of the monitors were working long shifts, and stressed that “safety comes first.”

As of Thursday evening, the FAA said there was no national ground stop in effect, and that flights were being managed through standard traffic initiatives.