US Flight Chaos Deepens as Shutdown Drains Air Traffic Control. US air travelers are facing another day of flight disruptions as the government shutdown triggers a worsening shortage of air traffic controllers. By Tuesday evening, delays had spread to major airports like Nashville, Dallas, Chicago, and Newark. Some towers, including at Burbank Airport in California, were left unmanned for hours and had to be run remotely. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says controllers are stretched thin — many working 10-hour shifts, six days a week, without pay. Staffing levels in some areas have dropped to just half. More than 3,000 flights were delayed Tuesday, and the FAA has issued ground delays at several major hubs. The shutdown — now in its second week — has left 40% of the federal workforce without pay, while essential workers like air traffic controllers are forced to stay on the job. Union leaders warn fatigue and stress are reaching dangerous levels, and without resolution in Congress, the skies could get even more chaotic. [Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT]
Exactly why are the Democrats trying to save Republicans from a drubbing in the midterms? Their shutdown of the government to stop cuts in health coverage does not work to their political advantage -- or ultimately help those they purport to be protecting.
