ORLANDO, Fla. – As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second week, the Federal Aviation Administration is reporting staffing shortages at air traffic control towers across the country.
The FAA confirmed Monday that facilities in Denver, Newark, and Burbank, California, experienced staffing shortfalls overnight, with Burbank’s tower left without any controllers for several hours. Officials say traffic was rerouted and slowed to maintain safety.
At Orlando International Airport, operations remained normal Tuesday morning, though travelers told News 6 they’re watching the situation closely.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“Definitely nervous,” one traveler said. “We’re in Orlando, so I thought hurricanes were what I’d have to worry about, but yeah, that definitely makes us a bit more nervous.”
Another traveler added, “It’s unfortunate. There’s nuance to it. Hopefully they can get it sorted out — shout out to the people working without pay so people like me can travel.”
[VIDEO: FAA reports staffing issues at airports as government shutdown enters second week]
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there’s been a slight increase in sick calls since the shutdown began last Wednesday, calling it a sign of strain on an already short-staffed system.
“This is having a great impact, great concern, great stress on our system at a time when we’re trying to reduce that stress,” Duffy said. “We’re trying to improve efficiencies and increase controllers.”
Airport leaders at MCO tell News 6 that local operations have not been affected, but they are staying in close contact with the FAA as the situation evolves.
Travelers are being urged to check their flight status before heading to the airport in case staffing issues elsewhere cause delays to ripple across the country.