"Duffy told CNN's Jake Tapper that 18 of 22 controllers in Atlanta didn't show up on Saturday and that there were 81 staffing triggers nationwide. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest. He added that retirements have spiked: "I used to have about four controllers retire a day before the shutdown. I'm now up to 15 to 20 a day.""
"By the numbers: As of Sunday morning at 11:30am ET, there have already been more than 4,800 delays and cancellations within, into or out of the U.S., according to tracker FlightAware. On Saturday, there were close to 9,000. Newark Liberty International Airport is again under a ground delay program Sunday due to staffing shortages with an average delay of three hours and 45 minutes as of 8:54am ET, per an FAA advisory."
"What they're saying: White House spokesperson Kush Desai pinned the slowdown on "Democrats who shut the federal government down" in a statement to Axios. Friction point: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed the unusual measure to cut flights as "politics masquerading as safety." "Instead of negotiating with Democrats to help families, they're punishing travelers," he said on the Senate floor. Duffy on Sunday responded, saying that "the only one playing politics is Chuck Schumer.""
The FAA implemented progressive reductions in operations — 4% immediately, rising to 6%, 8%, and 10% over the following week — affecting 40 U.S. airports. Significant controller absenteeism occurred in Atlanta, with 18 of 22 not reporting, and 81 staffing triggers nationwide. Controller retirements spiked from roughly four per day to 15–20 per day. FlightAware reported over 4,800 delays and cancellations by Sunday morning and nearly 9,000 on Saturday. Newark experienced average delays around three hours and 45 minutes under a ground delay program. The slowdown prompted partisan blame and criticism, and at least one controller labeled the cuts a political move.
Read at Axios
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