Copyright NBC News
As the government shutdown drags on, so do woes at airports — this time at Orlando International Airport. A ground delay was issued Thursday evening for Orlando MCO — the state's busiest airport — with departures to the airport delayed an average of 2.7 hours due to staffing issues. The delay is in place from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ET, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory. Earlier in the evening, the FAA said the airport would be unable to land arrival flights for a period of time because there were no certified air traffic controllers available at the hub. That was later remedied with the FAA saying there’s been an “increase in staffing” for the F11 Central Florida Tracon, which is manned by controllers. The airport did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, was also experiencing a ground delay averaging 90 minutes also due to staffing issues. The delay was from 1:30 p.m Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday, according to the FAA. It's the latest setback to hit beleaguered American airports grappling with staffing shortages, delays and cancellations as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration workers go without pay. Flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted Sunday morning due to a staffing shortage. A temporary ground stop was issued with planes headed for Los Angeles held at originating airports and delayed, averaging an an hour and 40 minutes. Tuesday marked the first time federal employees — including air traffic controllers — received their zero-dollar paycheck as the shutdown has dragged into the 30-day mark. The turmoil impacting air travel prompted Delta Air Lines on Thursday to demand Congress reopen the government immediately. The airline warned that missed paychecks “only increases the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure.” The crisis has only added salt to wounds that predated the shutdown for controllers: staffing shortages and long, grueling schedules. This week, air traffic controllers with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a labor union and aviation safety organization, demanded the end of the shutdown and handed out leaflets. The group said air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals often work grueling schedules of six days a week and 10 hour days, and some taking on second jobs to feed their families and pay bills.
