FAA reports staffing issues at airports as government shutdown continues
The Federal Aviation Administration knew the endowment problems or provided shortages at airports and other air traffic control facilities in the United States on Monday evening.
Reports on personnel deficits occurred a few hours after the Secretary of Transport, Sean Duffy, said that there had been a slight increase in illness calls since the government’s start to closure on Wednesday.
No air traffic controllers was expected at the Hollywood Burbank airport in the Los Angeles region for hours on Monday evening due to endowment problems, said a familiar source with the situation.
The FAA website has shown the problem of the endowment between 4 p.m. and 9:59 p.m. PT (7 p.m. Monday at 12:59 p.m. Tuesday HE).
The source told NBC News that some air traffic will be managed by the control of the Radar approach to the San Diego terminal at a reduced rate – which means that delays in arrival and departure are certain.
A spokesperson for Hollywood Burbank airport, a smaller airport in the Los Angeles region, did not immediately respond to a request for comments on Monday.
The airport said on X on Monday evening that it was still open.
“Operations are continuing at Hollywood Burbank airport,” he said. “Please check with your airline – before arriving at the airport – for updates on possible delays or cancellations.”
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Denver International Airport also experienced problems with the endowment of air traffic control on Monday, the FAA website.
One reason for the staff problem in Hollywood Burbank was not clear.
Due to the closure of the federal government, air traffic controllers worked without salary on Monday.
The closure is expected to reach the brand of a week after the Senate has not new legislation on Monday evening that would reopen the government. Without any negotiation that takes place between the Democrats and the Republicans, there is no sign of breakthrough on the horizon.
Duffy said earlier on Monday that there had been an increase in sick calls since the government closed and that funding defeated, but he said the increase was light.
“So we follow sick calls, sick leave and have we had a slight blow in sick calls? Yes, then you will see delays resulting from it,” Duffy told journalists at Newark airport.
“Our priorities are security. And therefore, if we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow in accordance with a safe rate for the American people,” he said.
A FAA spokesperson refer to the previous comments of Duffy when they were asked the staff in Burbank on Monday evening.
“As Secretary Duffy said, there were shortages of increased personnel in the system.
The Union of the National Air Traffic Contractors Association underlined a national shortage of air traffic controllers. Officials have warned against the shortage since the government was closed.
“It is normal that some air traffic controllers call for patients one day given, and this is the latest example of the fragile of our aviation system in the middle of a national shortage of these critical security professionals,” the union said.
