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Travelers throughout America are preparing for increasing delays as workforce gaps at airports further deteriorate during the ongoing federal government shutdown, now entering its seventh day.

Escalating Worries Over Air Travel Network

Labor leaders for flight controllers and security screeners have cautioned that the circumstances is expected to worsen, with workforce issues reported at multiple major airports including facilities in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia.

"The risk of broader effects to the American air travel network is growing by the day," commented aviation expert Henry Harteveldt.

He expressed grave concern that should the closure persist, it could potentially disrupt millions of Americans' holiday travel arrangements in November.

Travel Disruptions and Operational Challenges

Staffing shortages, featuring an elevated number of employees calling in sick, affected major airports around New York, Los Angeles and Denver on Monday, causing delays for over 6,000 flights across the country.

• Burbank airport's air traffic control was briefly shut down and operations were handled by another facility
• The Nashville facility reported postponements averaging 120 minutes due to workforce challenges
• O'Hare Airport in Chicago recorded typical postponements of 41 minutes
• Dallas-Fort Worth experienced postponements recorded at half an hour

Sector Reaction and Union Position

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association stressed that it does not endorse any organized actions that could negatively affect the national flight network.

The organization stated that flight controllers value their duty to protect public safety very seriously and participating in any work stoppage could result in removal from federal service.

Government Perspective

The Transportation Department head Sean Duffy warned that the country's air traffic control system is being harmed from the ongoing government shutdown.

"They're not just thinking about the flight paths," he remarked regarding air traffic controllers who are not receiving salaries. "They're concerned about, 'Am I going to get a paycheck'?"

He noted that many operators depend on regular income and are unable to manage extended periods without compensation.

Broader Implications

Based on emergency preparations, roughly 25% of the workforce, or over eleven thousand aviation administration workers, were temporarily laid off when the closure started last week.

Nevertheless, 13,000 air traffic controllers remain on duty, with recruitment and instruction also ongoing.

Union president Nick Daniels pointed out that the shutdown has emphasized preexisting issues faced by flight controllers, including staff shortages and aging technology.

He explained that the situation is especially serious at smaller airports where reduced personnel creates further difficulties.

Despite the extensive postponements, flight data showed that approximately ninety-two percent of flights departing from US airports departed as scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Federal Aviation Administration had not issued a "staffing trigger" that would decrease the flight volume in and out of airports, suggesting that operations were proceeding despite the difficulties.