FAA delays flights to DCA due to staffing as government shutdown continues

Could government shutdown impact travel plans?

So far, flights are running on time at Washington D.C.?s Reagan National Airport, and travelers haven?t seen major disruptions. But concerns are growing as the government shutdown continues.

WASHINGTON - On Wednesday night, flights at Reagan National Airport were delayed due to "staffing" conditions, per an FAA advisory. 

What we know:

Reagan Airport is on a ground delay program Wednesday evening, according to an ATC advisory. 

Delays are average 31 minutes, per the FAA. 

The backstory:

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that the shutdown is straining air traffic control staffing nationwide, forcing some facilities to operate at half capacity.

"We’ve seen a slight uptick in sick calls and a significant drop in staffing levels," Duffy said, adding that regional centers are being forced to juggle extra workloads to keep flights moving safely.

The situation echoes the 2019 government shutdown, when unpaid air traffic controllers called out sick, triggering long delays at East Coast airports.

Transportation experts say a similar pattern could emerge again as employees miss paychecks and equipment maintenance is delayed. In some cases, regional control centers are handling traffic remotely, as they did Monday evening in California, when Hollywood Burbank Airport relied on nearby facilities for direct flights.

"The system can only absorb so much," one Port Authority operations manager told FOX. "Even small staffing gaps have a ripple effect in this corridor."

Big picture view:

Nationwide, the Department of Transportation says staffing and equipment maintenance are among the hardest-hit areas of the shutdown. Some smaller airports have had to divert airspace management to nearby facilities, increasing pressure on already short-handed teams.

This year’s shutdown comes at a critical moment. The FAA is working to modernize its aging systems while grappling with staffing shortages and safety concerns following January’s deadly mid-air collision over the Potomac.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says more than 11,000 employees have been furloughed. While facility security inspections will continue, TSA agents and 13,294 air traffic controllers are still working without pay. The union representing controllers recently said the situation is especially difficult, given the high-stress nature of the job. More than 2,000 support staff have also been furloughed.