Air Traffic Controller Shortage Halts Flights to Los Angeles

Flights bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) were briefly halted due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

The brief hold did not appear to cause lingering disruptions at LAX.

The agency also reported staffing-related delays in Chicago, Washington, and Newark, New Jersey, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports shortly after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travelers would face more delays and cancellations in the coming days as air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown.

During an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Duffy said more controllers were calling in sick as financial strain compounded the stress of an already demanding job.

“Yesterday, we had 22 staffing triggers. That’s one of the highest we’ve seen in the system since the shutdown began. And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin,” he said.

The FAA said planes bound for Los Angeles were held at their originating airports starting at 11:42 a.m. Eastern time, and the ground stop was lifted at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time.

The brief hold did not appear to cause lingering disruptions at LAX.

According to the flight-tracking website FlightAware, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field saw a larger share of late arrivals due to what the FAA described as weather and equipment issues.

Too few air traffic controllers per shift also caused takeoff and arrival disruptions Sunday at New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport, Teterboro Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida, the FAA said.