Major U.S. airports have reported experiencing flight delays amid the shutdown of the federal government.
Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy told reporters on Monday that air traffic control towers were experiencing staffing issues, with an increasing number of air traffic controllers calling in sick since the shutdown began.
While some 13,000 controllers have not been furloughed during the shutdown, as they are deemed critical staff, there is no guarantee that they will be paid. There are also some 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers who are still expected to continue working during the shutdown. Their next paycheck is due Oct. 14.
Duffy said he was receiving reports of varied levels of absenteeism across the nation’s airports, which rely on air traffic controllers from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to keep the skies safe and operational. He said the department was tracking the staff shortages, which have been reported in “one area in one day, another area another day.”…