Busiest airport halts flights due to shutdown
In this DML Report…
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport, America's eighth-busiest, on Wednesday due to a staffing shortage triggered by the government shutdown. The advisory went out at 3:32 p.m. ET, implementing a ground delay program that halts flights at their origin from departing for Newark until at least 10:59 p.m. ET, with a maximum delay of 87 minutes and an average of 40 minutes. The cause was listed simply as "staffing," amid air traffic controllers and TSA agents working without pay, resulting in surging sick days and absences.
Nationwide, nearly 3,000 flights faced delays and more than 130 cancellations on the day, with Newark's issues exacerbated by pre-existing capacity, staffing, and technology problems. Air traffic control and TSA personnel, deemed essential, are required to report despite unpaid wages, leading to higher absenteeism from challenges like affording gas and childcare. Flight delays hit a peak of 8,600 on Sunday, with 44 percent now attributed to ATC staffing—up from a typical 5 percent earlier this year.
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The shutdown entered its 29th day, ranking as the second-longest in U.S. history behind the 35-day record. United Airlines operates heavily at Newark, where planes piled up on the tarmac amid the chaos.