The Federal Aviation Administration flagged staffing shortages at three key facilities Saturday that could force airlines to slow traffic flows during the government shutdown.
In a 2 p.m. ET operations update, the agency noted added staffing warnings for the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center through 3 p.m. ET. The Atlanta TRACON—which sequences flights arriving to and departing from Hartsfield-Jackson—reported shortages from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. The Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center in New Mexico expects shortfalls from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. ET.
Not every staffing gap results in delays: traffic managers can reroute aircraft into less-congested airspace or meter them to balance controller workload. But when diversions aren’t feasible, controllers reduce the rate of departures and arrivals to preserve safety, which can ripple into delays.
Air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are classified as essential and must report for duty during the shutdown—even if paychecks are delayed. Prolonged lapses can strain schedules, increase overtime, and reduce the system’s ability to recover from weather or equipment disruptions.
