FAA braces for nationwide flight disruptions as air traffic controller shortages hit major airports

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is bracing for nationwide air traffic disruptions Tuesday night as staffing shortages hit several major control centers, including Chicago, Nashville, Houston and Las Vegas.

Officials said the shortages, which come amid the ongoing government shutdown, will increase the likelihood of flight delays, reroutes and ground stops overnight.

As of 3 p.m. CST, the FAA issued a two-hour ground delay for Nashville International Airport from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. CST due to air traffic controller staffing shortages at the Memphis Center (ZME).

AMERICAN AIRLINES JET CANCELS TAKEOFF AFTER LAX RUNWAY INCURSION 

Shortages are expected after 6 p.m. at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Nashville International Airport control towers, with additional shortages at Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities in the Las Vegas, Houston, Boston, New Jersey and Philadelphia areas, according to an FAA operations plan.

An arrival delay advisory has been issued for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C.

AIRLINES WARN GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COULD DISRUPT FLIGHTS, STRAIN AVIATION SYSTEM 

FOX 11 Los Angeles previously reported that on Monday, Hollywood Burbank Airport in California went without any air traffic controllers on duty for nearly 6 hours, and their arrival and departure duties were handed off to a TRACON facility in San Diego.

Several flight cancellations grounded travelers, and delays reached nearly three hours, according to the report.

“Thanks, @realDonaldTrump! Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today because of YOUR government shutdown,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote on X.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy snapped back at the governor on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday, saying Republicans voted to keep the government open, while “it was Democrats who voted to shut it down.”

Duffy emphasized that flight safety remains the top priority, and stressed air traffic controllers are essential workers who have to “show up for work,” but warned many are doing so without pay due to the shutdown.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, joined Duffy in calling for an end to the shutdown, saying the FAA and its safety professionals need to “put this distraction behind us” to fully focus on their mission of maintaining air safety.

FOX Business’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.