This weekend’s travel woes are shaping up to be even worse than expected.
Staffing issues at dozens of air traffic control facilities across the country are fueling flight delays at many of the nation’s largest airports.
It’s led to hundreds of cancellations beyond what the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut — and thousands of additional delays.
By 5:15 p.m. EST Saturday, more than 5,300 flights had been delayed nationwide, according to data from FlightAware.
At some of the most congested East Coast hubs, flyers ran into multi-hour disruptions.
Average ground delays topped five and a half hours at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport and mega-hub for hometown carrier Delta Air Lines.
Travelers faced average delays nearing four hours at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), along with considerable backups at the New York City region’s other two major hubs.
Cancellations, delays top expectations
For travelers, it’s added chaos after the FAA this week implemented mandatory flight cutbacks at many of the nation’s busiest airports. Airlines were expected to cancel 4% of departures at 40 busy hubs this weekend.
That had initially led to some 800 cancellations nationwide heading into Saturday.
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But the cancellations tallied more than 1,200 by early evening as snarled traffic and staffing woes affected even more flights than expected.
Read more: How each airline is handling flight cuts during the shutdown: What to know
According to FAA data reviewed by TPG, around 30 air traffic control facilities reported “staffing triggers” heading into Saturday night.
Read more: Flight delayed or canceled? Here’s what to do next
Growing strain on air traffic controllers
Air traffic controllers and other critical aviation sector employees have been working without pay since the start of the government shutdown — ongoing since Oct. 1.
Over the past week, a growing number of controllers calling off work, further straining an already short-staffed profession.
Those problems, and the resulting flight delays, have worsened even as the FAA began enforcing its mandatory flight restrictions on Friday.
Nearly 20,000 flights have been delayed since Wednesday, FlightAware data showed.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), the second-busiest hub for American Airlines, spent parts of Saturday morning under a staffing-fueled ground stop.
“We ask passengers for patience and understanding as we navigate this unprecedented situation together,” the airport said in a social media post.
That’s after Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) ran into “significant delays and cancellations” Friday evening.
More turbulence ahead
There’s no sign of the disruptions easing, either. Airlines have already scrapped close to 930 departures for Sunday, in keeping with the FAA’s restrictions. By late next week, cancellations are expected to hit one in every 10 flights out of the 40 major airports affected.
And without a deal to reopen the federal government, it’s hard to envision any immediate, major improvement in air traffic control staffing.
In a statement Friday, a trade group for the largest U.S. airlines implored Congressional leaders to find common ground to end the longest shutdown in history.
“We implore Congress to act with extreme urgency to get the federal government reopened, get federal workers paid and get our airspace back to normal operations,” Airlines for America said. “Time is of the essence.”
What should you do if you’re flying?
TPG has complete coverage of the government shutdown’s impact on travelers.
Stacie Harris is a local resident and reporter of the Maple Grove area. Stacie reports on medicine and science for the Maple Grove Report.
