Copyright dailymail
Major delays are still plaguing US airports as the record-breaking government shutdown rages on for the 40th day. Thousands of flights have been impacted across the US due to a shortage of federal workers at airports, sparking travel misery with Thanksgiving just around the corner. A ground stop was issued for Newark Liberty International on Saturday night, impacting hundreds of flights at the New Jersey airport Sunday morning. It means that all inbound flights are being held at their departure airport until at least 8am Sunday. More than 500 flights which were due to land at Newark have been held and the ground stop could be extended, according to the FAA. Meanwhile, flights due to land at Chicago O'Hare International Airport are experiencing an average delay of 1 hour 22 minutes, according to FlightAware. Major delays are also impacting Anchorage International, with an average added wait time of 42 minutes, which is increasing by the minute. It comes as the government shutdown stretched into its 40th day on Sunday amid a fight over funding which has also impacted food assistant for millions of Americans and left federal workers, including those at airports, without pay. With no end to the Senate stalemate in sight and Thanksgiving just around the corner, the travel chaos is likely to worsen in the coming weeks if lawmakers cannot come to an agreement to end the shutdown. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay since October 1. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke out last week about the ongoing delays across the US. 'I've been talking to air traffic controllers and there really is frustration. There's a shutdown right now, the democrats are focusing on illegal healthcare,' he told ABC News. 'They don't get paid as air traffic controllers. Those are burning frustrations, like in the rest of the country.' Duffy added that 'safety is his top priority' and the administration will 'delay' and 'cancel any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe.' 'There is a level of risk when we have a controller doing two jobs instead of one. We manage and look out for it.' The Ground Delay Program - an air traffic management plan - is expected to be implemented at Newark if delays are continued. The probability of extension was ranked at 'medium level,' meaning the ground stop may remain for a few more hours, derailing morning traveler's flight plans. This is not the first time this week that Newark has been shut down over staffing issues. On October 29, delays lasted nearly 90 minutes at the airport. Furious travelers who were preparing to fly out of the airport on Sunday morning expressed their rage at the ground stop. One person wrote on X: 'Newark Airport is the biggest joke on the planet,' while another added: 'Newark Airport count your days.' Another user slammed the current administration, writing: 'Took forever to get through Newark airport customs last night there’s like nobody working.' On Halloween, thousands of flights were delayed due to severe weather and staffing shortages resulting from the Senate stalemate. The government shutdown began on October 1, when Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding federal services for the coming months. The expiring Obamacare subsidies are the key sticking point. Democrats, including Minority Leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer, have repeatedly said that they would be willing to negotiate an end to the shutdown should Republicans come to the table and talk about extending subsidies. Effectively, every Republican, including GOP leadership, has said that all negotiations to extend the ACA subsidies should come after a government funding deal is reached. All except Greene. The House passed a funding bill in September to keep the government open. However, that bill has not received the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to pass the government funding proposal. Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate and need Democratic votes to pass any funding deal. The Senate has unsuccessfully voted on the funding bill five times and will presumably continue to vote on the proposal until an agreement is made. However, Democrats are adamant that it won’t happen unless ACA subsidies are included. Trump has warned that he will start mass lay-offs of federal workers if negotiations continue to stall This is a breaking news story with updates to follow.
