As the fifth week of the government shutdown comes to a close, a shortage of air traffic controllers has led one major airport to cancel all landings.
Thousands of flights have been delayed due to staffing shortages amid the government shutdown — and Orlando International Airport (MCO) came close to canceling all landings.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday evening that there would be “no certified controllers for a period of time,” which would “prevent landings” at the popular travel hub, the closest major airport to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios.
The order was later reversed when enough staff were found, but flights in and out of MCO continue to face major delays — with average delays of about 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some flights delayed for nearly 12 hours and several canceled, according to the New York Times.
Other major airports, including Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), have experienced major delays as well.
Sky News reported that flight tracking website FlightAware said nearly 6,000 flights were delayed and 1,100 canceled nationwide on Thursday. This impacted 20% of flights at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay — and the amount calling in sick has increased. Some are even working second jobs to make enough to live.
During a government shutdown, federal workers such as military personnel, secret service agents, NASA, air traffic controllers and National Parks staff are required to work without pay.
Many air traffic controllers have been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown began — and the FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted levels.
Two controllers who spoke to The Post earlier this month said the situation that is becoming more dangerous by the day.
“The financial anxiety doesn’t just hurt morale; it directly affects safety,” one controller in South Carolina declared. “When someone responsible for thousands of lives a day is worrying about whether they can pay rent or feed their kids, focus suffers. Sometimes that small moment where your mind is elsewhere can have serious impacts.”
A second controller, working in California, warned: “The shutdown is affecting every single person traveling in the United States at this time. More stress equals more risk; that’s just basic common sense.”
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