According to the Flightaware tracking portal, 1,008 flights have been canceled throughout the day, with the airports of Charlotte (North Carolina), Newark, John F. Kennedy in New York, Chicago International, and Atlanta being the most affected so far.
The shortage of controllers also caused over 3,700 flight delays, notably impacting New York area terminals.
Flights arriving at JFK are experiencing an average delay of more than two and a half hours, while departures are delayed by about 100 minutes. Those landing in Newark face an average delay of over four hours, and at LaGuardia Airport, delays are about one hour, according to CNN.
The airlines most affected by these delays are American Airlines, Southwest, United, Delta, and JetBlue.
Throughout the day, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported temporary ground operation halts at the Chicago terminal and JFK due to the shortage of controllers.
The air traffic controller shortage led the Department of Transportation to order a reduction of up to 10% in the country’s air traffic, with cuts potentially increasing to 20% if the situation does not improve in the coming week, as explained by the Government.
Air traffic controllers are essential workers and are expected to report to their posts even without pay. However, about 2,000 controllers have already resigned.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the situation will worsen if not resolved before Tuesday, when a new payment is scheduled for controllers, which they will not receive if the government does not reopen.
The Senate will remain in session throughout the weekend to try to reach an agreement to end the longest shutdown in the country’s history.
