First published: 28 October 2025; updated 3 November 2025; updated 5 November 2025
Since October 6, thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed due to the emerging workers shortage. About 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are being asked to continue reporting to work without pay, many of whom are misusing sick leave to refuse unpaid work despite being deemed essential.
During the first week of the shutdown, staffing shortages and flight delays were reported at major airports in Dallas, Newark, Phoenix, Denver, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Chicago, and at some regional U.S. airports like Hollywood Burbank Airport and Nashville International Airport.
Later, further disruptions were extended to Orlando International, Houston George Bush Intercontinental, Charlotte Douglas International, and Austin-Bergstrom International airports. In Austin, a 5-hour ground stop occurred on October 13 due to an air traffic controller shortage, and nearly 2,200 flights have been delayed in the first two weeks of the shutdown in Charlotte for the same reason. On November 2, the list of affected airports includes San Diego International Airport for the first time during the shutdown, now reporting average flight delays exceeding one hour.
Worker Shortages at Federal Aviation Administration Control Facilities
At least 35 air traffic control points in the U.S. are experiencing staffing shortfalls, including facilities in Austin, Phoenix, New York, Newark, Nashville, Washington, Denver, and Dallas.
The most affected control sites are Philadelphia TRACON Area C, which manages aircraft sequencing and separation for Philadelphia and Newark airports, Central Florida TRACON, responsible for flights to and from Orlando airport, and Las Vegas TRACON.
Additionally, insufficient staffing levels were reported at New York Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) Areas A and C, which handle enroute air traffic over parts of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
Roughly 80% of the New York City ARTCC workforce was reported absent on October 31. Consequentially, New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport was forced to ground all planes on the same day due to the combination of staff shortages and severe winds.
Ground delays were also reported at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on October 31, George W. Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport on November 1, and Newark Liberty International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Nashville International Airport on November 2. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warns that it will slow air traffic further if the staffing issues persist.
Aviation Safety Workers Seek Financial Assistance
An estimated 60,000 aviation safety workers are reportedly seeking financial assistance amid uncertainty around salary payments, prompting concerns of more widespread staffing shortages. Should the affected air traffic controllers and TSA agents decide to refuse work or more permanently seek alternative employment as a means of financial security, the aviation industry will suffer from unprecedented disruptions. Approximately 8,600 flights were delayed across the country on October 26, with air traffic controller sick leave absences surging after thousands didn’t receive their paychecks. More than twenty incidents of air traffic controller shortages were reported on October 25, with the FAA recording shortfalls in federal workers at six U.S. airports.
Cargo Processing Remains Vulnerable to Delays
Customs processing remains vulnerable to heightened disruption should the shutdown continue to mandate unpaid work. Of the impacted 50,000 TSA agents, many are responsible for screening cargo bound for passenger belly or cargo flights. Notably, airports in Memphis, Tennessee and Louisville, Kentucky have reported that their cargo-focused TSA agents have been sent to work without pay, marking a vulnerability to staffing shortages should workers decide to refuse work.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confirmed on October 1 that the agency remains operational for cargo movement, with all ports of entry being adequately staffed and only non-essential functions suspended. However, thousands of support staff remain furloughed, delaying inspections and increasing customs clearance times. Further, remaining support personnel that are not furloughed are not included in President Trump’s payment guarantee, increasing the likelihood of widespread absenteeism which will prolong processing bottlenecks and disruptions.
Importers of perishable goods like food products and pharmaceuticals remain most vulnerable given their sensitive cargo and the unpredictable processing times. On October 9, delays of up to six hours were reported at the Ciudad Juárez-El Paso border crossings between the U.S. and Mexico, critical for U.S. agricultural imports of tomatoes, avocados, and berries from Mexico. At the time of reporting, delays have still not been reported at U.S.-Canada border checkpoints and no further disruptions have been reported at U.S.-Mexico border checkpoints.
Everstream clients are receiving more detailed insights and recommendations about this risk.
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