A Los Angeles-area airport had no air traffic controllers (ATCs) on duty Monday evening, a shortage California’s governor linked to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Governor Gavin Newsom took to Facebook to call out the issue at Hollywood Burbank Airport (KBUR).
“Thanks, Donald Trump!” Newsom wrote. “Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. today because of YOUR government shutdown.”
The airport remained operational Monday night, with ATCs at a facility in San Diego handling takeoffs and landings remotely. Pilots had to coordinate among themselves while taxiing on the ground.
According to the FAA, passengers at Burbank faced an average delay of about two and a half hours.
Growing Concern
The federal government shut down on October 1 after Democrats and Republicans in Congress failed to reach an agreement on funding. Some government workers are expected to be furloughed, but those deemed essential, including ATCs and TSA agents, must continue to work without pay.
Airport operations have remained relatively smooth over the past week, but on Monday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his department is seeing a slight uptick in the number of ATCs calling in sick, which has happened in past shutdowns as government workers protest having to work without compensation.
That same day, the FAA reported delays at several major airports, including Denver, Phoenix, Newark, New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Chicago.
Duffy has said that while ATC staffing conditions during the shutdown are far from ideal, air travel in the U.S. remains safe. If the number of ATCs calling in sick begins to affect operations, the government will “reduce the flow” of flights to keep the workload on controllers more manageable.
The labor union that represents the FAA’s ATCs has urged its members to continue working through the shutdown.
“It is more important than ever that we rise to the occasion and continue delivering the consistent, high-level of public service we provide every day,” the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said in a statement. “We cannot stress enough that it is essential to avoid any actions that could reflect poorly on you, our union, or our professions.”
Separate Democratic and Republican proposals to end the government shutdown failed to pass the U.S. Senate on Monday.
