Written by Lacey Pfatz, TravelPulse October 7, 2025
The government has been shut down for a week, and air travel is already being impacted, with some sources reporting delays of up to two and a half hours long, with some airports left without any air traffic controllers at all.
According to CNN, that’s exactly what happened at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California on Monday. A pilot had radioed for air traffic control, only to receive a message that “The tower is closed due to staffing.”
The Department of Transportation’s plan for the government shutdown counts over 13,000 air traffic controllers who are considered “essential,” but who will not be paid during the shutdown.
Twelve FAA facilities saw staffing shortages on Monday night, including Burbank, Phoenix and Denver, as well as Jacksonville, Chicago, Washington, DC, Newark and others.
According to FlightAware, which catalogues the world’s commercial aviation delays and cancellations, the total number of delays on Monday was 5,976, though the nation’s airports only reported 84 cancellations.
The United States is reporting a moderate 560 delays this morning, and only 20 cancellations, though the full number is expected to increase as the day continues.
Travelers should be aware that TSA security lines will also be slower than usual, and to arrive at the airport far ahead in advance for long lines and longer wait times. Travelers should monitor their flight status with their airline and prepare for expected delays.
The U.S. Travel Association warned the government about the cost of a government shutdown at the end of September, cautioning that the travel industry alone would lose $1 billion a week during the shutdown.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy spoke at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday, telling reporters that the number of air traffic controllers calling in sick has increased since the shutdown.
“So now what they think about as they’re controlling our airspace, is, ‘How am I going to pay my mortgage? How do I make my car payment?’” said Duffy. “Do I think they’re more stressed right now in our towers? Yes. Is our airspace unsafe? No.”
The longest government shutdown in American history happened in 2018-2019, during President Trump’s first term in office. The 35-day shutdown only ended after ten air traffic controllers on the East Coast called in sick simultaneously, practically stopping air traffic in the region.
“It is normal for a few air traffic controllers to … call in sick on any given day, and this is the latest example of how fragile our aviation system is in the midst of a national shortage of these critical safety professionals,” said the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, in a statement.
“Nearly 11,000 fully certified controllers remain on the job, many working 10-hour shifts as many as six days a week, showing extraordinary dedication to safely guiding millions of passengers to their destinations–all without getting paid during this shutdown.”