World News | US Shutdown Deepens, Flight Delays Mount as Air Traffic Controllers Skip Work
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. The US government shutdown, now in its 34th day, has caused major flight delays and staff shortages as unpaid air traffic controllers and TSA workers struggle to cope. Officials and unions warn of growing safety and reliability risks, urging Congress to reopen the government immediately.
Washington [US], November 4 (ANI): The ongoing US government shutdown has stretched into its 34th day, worsening conditions across the country's airports as air traffic controllers, TSA screeners, and other essential workers continue working without pay, CNN reported.
Air traffic controllers, many of whom are not showing up for duty or taking second jobs to manage expenses, have led to mounting flight delays and long queues at major airports, raising passenger concerns about safety and reliability.
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CNN News Central that the extended shutdown is putting increasing pressure on workers and compromising safety.
"Every single day that this goes on tomorrow is now less safe than today," he said. "We're supposed to go to work and be 100%, 100% of the time. I'm going to work right now, and I'm thinking about, how do I pay my rent?"
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the delays were a precautionary measure to ensure safety despite staffing shortages.
"Is there more risk in the system when you have a shutdown? Absolutely there's more risk," he told CNBC. "If we thought that it was unsafe... we'll shut the whole airspace down. We won't let people travel. We're not there at this point. It's just significant delays."
The shortages have disrupted air traffic across major hubs, including Chicago, Denver, Houston, and Newark, causing extensive ground delays. Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport has warned passengers that TSA checks could take up to three hours due to staff shortages.
Keith Jeffries, vice president of K2 Security Screening Group and a former TSA federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport, told CNN that call-outs will likely continue.
"Call-outs will continue to rise in TSA, because those frontline employees are forced with making those decisions," he said.
Mike McCormick, assistant professor of Air Traffic Management at Embry-Riddle University, told CNN that while there are safety concerns, controllers are handling the situation responsibly.
"If controllers were more reporting to work in such a condition that they could not be 100%, for their air traffic control duties, then, yes, that creates a risk of safety," he said. "From what I'm seeing across the system, controllers are recognizing their limitations, and they're not reporting to work, so that is actually helping to keep the system safe."
Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations at the US Travel Association, said the shutdown is hurting the dependability of air travel.
"The challenge is that the system is never going to compromise safety, but we're absolutely compromising predictability and the ability of Americans to get to where they want to go on time," he said.
Union leaders and airline executives have urged lawmakers to resolve the impasse.
"Our message is simple, open the government, and it has to open now," Daniels said. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)