It was another frustrating day for passengers across the United States as long lines, flight delays, and uncertainty hit three major airports.
With the government shutdown stretching into its 35th day, staffing shortages are wreaking havoc on air travel, leaving travelers stuck on tarmacs and in terminals for hours.
According to multiple flight alerts, Houston and Phoenix air traffic centers have implemented Ground Delay Programs.
These measures slow incoming flights to prevent the air traffic system from being overwhelmed, but they have also left many passengers facing delays of up to three hours.
Houston Airports Struggle With Reduced Arrival Rates
At George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has capped arrivals at just 40 flights per hour, down from a typical peak of around 70.
The advisory cites average delays of 40 minutes, with some flights waiting as long as an hour and 40 minutes.
Nearby William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is experiencing even more severe restrictions. FAA officials have limited arrivals to just 16 flights per hour, meaning some travelers are waiting nearly three hours before landing clearance is granted.
The effects of these delays are not confined to Texas; ripple effects from the restrictions could impact airports across the continental US.
Phoenix Airports Also Feeling the Pressure
Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix is experiencing similar disruptions.
Controllers have slowed arrivals to 40 flights per hour due to the same staffing shortages, resulting in average delays of 45 minutes and some waiting times exceeding an hour and a half.
These programs are expected to remain in effect into early Wednesday, potentially affecting hundreds of flights nationwide.
FAA Staff Work Without Pay Amid Ongoing Crisis
The FAA reports that around 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA agents have been working without pay for weeks.
Even before the shutdown, the agency was already short-staffed by about 3,000 controllers.
This chronic shortage has been compounded by the shutdown, leaving air travel increasingly chaotic.
Transportation Secretary Warns of Potential Airspace Closures
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stark warning on Tuesday.
He said that if the shutdown continues for another week, the nation could see “mass chaos” in the skies, including widespread flight cancellations and even temporary closures of parts of the national airspace.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays,” Duffy said.
“We will restrict the airspace when we feel it’s unsafe.”
Congressional Deadlock Keeps Crisis Going
The shutdown is the longest in US history, with Trump’s Republicans and Democratic opposition locked in a bitter standoff over healthcare spending.
Senate lawmakers rejected a House-passed resolution to reopen the government for the 14th time on Tuesday, extending uncertainty for travelers and federal employees alike.
Airports across the country are struggling not just with understaffed air traffic control towers but also with workers calling in sick rather than working without pay—a factor that played a major role in ending the 2019 government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, the joint-longest in US history.
No End in Sight for Negotiations
Democrats argue that reopening the government requires Trump-led negotiations to extend subsidies that make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans.
President Trump, however, has insisted he will not negotiate until the shutdown is resolved, leaving airports, travelers, and federal workers caught in the middle of a crisis with no immediate end in sight.