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Travelers across the United States are bracing for increasing disruptions as airport staffing shortages continue to worsen during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now entering its seventh consecutive day.

Growing Concerns Over Air Travel Network

Labor leaders for flight controllers and security screeners have warned that the situation is expected to worsen, with staffing challenges reported at multiple major airports including locations such as Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia.

"The risk of wider impacts to the US aviation system continues to increase by the day," commented aviation expert Henry Harteveldt.

He voiced serious worry that if the shutdown continues, it could possibly interfere with millions of Americans' Thanksgiving travel plans in November.

Flight Delays and Operational Issues

Workforce gaps, including an elevated number of workers taking sick leave, affected key facilities around Denver, Los Angeles and New York on Monday, causing postponements affecting more than 6,000 flights across the country.

• The Burbank facility's air traffic control was briefly shut down and responsibilities were managed by another facility
• The Nashville facility reported postponements averaging 120 minutes due to workforce challenges
• Chicago's O'Hare recorded typical postponements of nearly three-quarters of an hour
• Dallas-Fort Worth had delays logged at 30 minutes

Industry Response and Union Position

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association stressed that it does not endorse any organized actions that could adversely impact the National Airspace System.

The union clarified that flight controllers value their duty to protect public safety very seriously and participating in any work stoppage could lead to removal from federal service.

Government Perspective

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the national flight control network is suffering damage from the ongoing government shutdown.

"They're not just thinking about the flight paths," he commented regarding air traffic controllers who are working without pay. "They're concerned about, 'Am I going to get a salary'?"

He noted that many controllers live paycheck to paycheck and are unable to manage prolonged durations without compensation.

Wider Consequences

Based on emergency preparations, roughly 25% of the workforce, or more than 11,000 aviation administration workers, were temporarily laid off when the closure started last week.

However, 13,000 air traffic controllers continue working, with hiring and training also ongoing.

Labor leader Nick Daniels pointed out that the shutdown has emphasized preexisting issues faced by air traffic controllers, including workforce gaps and outdated equipment.

He clarified that the situation is particularly grave at regional facilities where reduced personnel creates additional challenges.

Despite the widespread delays, flight data showed that approximately 92% of flights departing from US airports departed as scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.

The aviation regulator had not activated a "staffing trigger" that would reduce the number of flights in and out of airports, indicating that operations were proceeding despite the challenges.