---
title: "Flight delays hit Orlando, Dallas, DC due to shortage of air traffic controllers"
description: "WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Flights at Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington, DC airports were delayed on Thursday due to a shortage of air traffic controllers during the US government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration said."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-10-31-flight-delays-hit-orlando-dallas-dc-due-to-shortage-of-air-traffic-controllers/"
published: "2025-10-31T04:45:41"
updated: "2025-10-31T04:48:59"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 207
---

# Flight delays hit Orlando, Dallas, DC due to shortage of air traffic controllers

> WASHINGTON, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Flights at Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington, DC airports were delayed on Thursday due to a shortage of air traffic controllers during the US government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

By Reuters · Published 31 October 2025, 06:45 SAST · Updated 31 October 2025, 06:48 SAST

## Key points
- As the government shutdown drags on, travelers are experiencing delays longer than a bad movie sequel, with nearly 6,000 flights grounded and air traffic controllers juggling second jobs while trying to keep the skies from falling.
- Nationwide flight disruptions saw nearly 6,000 delays and 1,100 cancellations on Thursday, with Orlando experiencing the worst delays averaging over two hours.
- Major airlines, including United, American, Southwest, and Delta, reported that about 20% of their flights were affected by the chaos.
- The ongoing government shutdown has forced over 13,000 air traffic controllers to work without pay, leading to increased absenteeism and some taking second jobs.
- The FAA narrowly avoided closing Orlando for landings due to staffing shortages, highlighting a critical shortage of 3,500 controllers amid mandatory overtime and extended workweeks.

## Content

By David Shepardson

Delays averaged more than two hours at Orlando, 90 minutes at National Airport in Washington and 21 minutes at Dallas, the agency said.

FlightAware, a flight tracking website, said nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 canceled nationwide on Thursday. About 20% of flights were affected at United Airlines UAL.O, American Airlines AAL.O, Southwest Airlines LUV.N and Delta Air Lines DAL.N, FlightAware said.

Since the government shutdown began on October 1, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay. Some are taking second jobs to make ends meet, and the number calling in sick has increased.

The FAA had planned to close Orlando for landings on Thursday night due to insufficient staff but reversed that when it secured enough controllers.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said this week that 44% of delays on Sunday and 24% on Monday were caused by air traffic controller absences, compared to 5% on average before the shutdown.

The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels and many had been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown.

(Reporting by David Shepardson and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Aurora Ellis and Cynthia Osterman)