Washington: Airports across the United States are facing increasing disruptions as the federal government shutdown extends beyond one month, leading to staffing shortages that cause widespread flight delays and long security lines.
This past weekend experienced some of the worst travel disruptions since the start of the shutdown, with over 5,000 flights to and from US airports delayed on Sunday alone.
On Monday, the White House attributed these travel disruptions to the Democrats, claiming that “Americans are paying the price for Democrats’ sick political games.”
“Democrats have ushered in a full-scale disaster disrupting millions of air travellers’ lives,” it said in a statement.
Transportation officials have warned that additional delays and cancellations are likely, as there is still no resolution in sight. Air traffic controllers, classified as essential workers, are mandated to work even without pay. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the financial strain on these workers is growing.
“None of them can miss two paychecks,” Duffy said in an interview with CNBC on Monday. “Their home finances fall apart, and they’re all going to have to look at taking second jobs or quitting and getting into another line of work.”
He noted that the national airspace system is currently short 2,000 to 3,000 air traffic controllers.
By Monday afternoon, more than 2,530 flights were delayed, and over 60 were cancelled, according to data from FlightAware.
The major disruptions were concentrated at key airports, including Chicago O’Hare, Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which together accounted for over 800 delays and more than 30 cancellations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has faced challenges in recruiting and retaining enough air traffic controllers, and staffing-related delays were already occurring prior to the shutdown.
The impact has also affected airport security operations. Houston Airports warned that security wait times could exceed three hours at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and more than an hour at William P. Hobby Airport. Similar advisories have been issued for airports in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, DC, and other major cities.
Additionally, Republicans have accused Democrats of demanding healthcare subsidies for undocumented immigrants, a claim that Democrats reject as a falsehood promoted by the Trump administration.
Democrats are advocating for the reversal of healthcare cuts for American citizens in the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was passed earlier this year.
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File photo: IANS
–IANS
