Flights bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) were temporarily halted Sunday morning as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grappled with a severe staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility.
The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports shortly after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travelers should expect more flight disruptions as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay during the government shutdown.
Secretary Duffy Warns of Mounting Stress
During an interview on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Duffy said an increasing number of controllers are calling in sick, citing financial strain and burnout.
“Just yesterday, we had 22 staffing triggers,” Duffy said. “That’s one of the highest we’ve seen since the shutdown began — a sign that controllers are wearing thin.”
The comments reflect a growing concern that staffing levels are approaching critical lows, threatening to further disrupt an already strained national airspace system.
Ground Stop Causes Major Delays
The FAA confirmed that planes headed for Los Angeles were held at their departure airports starting at 11:42 a.m. Eastern Time, leading to average delays of one hour and 40 minutes.
The agency expected to lift the ground stop at 1:30 p.m. Eastern, though it warned that traffic restrictions into LAX could persist throughout the afternoon as operations stabilized.
Widespread Impact Beyond Los Angeles
The staffing shortage has rippled beyond California. The FAA reported delays and disruptions at several other major airports, including New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport, Teterboro Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.
Transportation analysts warn that if the shutdown continues, systemic disruptions could spread nationwide as the agency juggles limited staff and mounting workloads.
U.S. Government Shutdown Hits Three Weeks: No End in Sight
A System Under Strain
The FAA’s air traffic controllers are among the thousands of federal employees working without pay during the government shutdown. Experts say the long hours, stress, and lack of compensation have created a volatile environment that could affect safety and reliability if not resolved soon.
While the temporary ground stop has been lifted, the FAA cautioned travelers to check flight statuses before heading to the airport and said it had implemented a flexible travel policy to assist passengers affected by the delays.
