WASHINGTON, 27 October (H.S.): U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a stark warning on Sunday that the nation's air travel system is facing a deepening crisis, with flight delays and groundings expected to worsen as unpaid air traffic controllers are pushed to their limits by the ongoing government shutdown.

Staffing shortages caused major disruptions over the weekend, including a ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the world's busiest hubs.On Sunday, October 26, the 26th day of the government shutdown, more than 3,000 U.S. flights were delayed.

Duffy stated that the strain on essential personnel, who have been working without pay since the shutdown began on October 1, is becoming untenable. The controllers are wearing thin, he said, noting that many are taking on second jobs, such as driving for Uber, or calling in sick to make ends meet.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported 22 alerts for staffing shortages at airports on Saturday, one of the highest numbers since the shutdown began. On Sunday, besides the ground stop at LAX, flights at Newark Liberty International Airport faced average delays of 82 minutes due to a lack of available controllers.Duffy expressed grave concern about the situation, making a direct appeal to the controllers: I need my controllers focused on the airspace, not on the finances at home.

The pressure on the system is reminiscent of the 2019 government shutdown, which ended after 35 days, partly due to the chaos that ensued when air traffic controllers stayed home, crippling travel at major airports.With the busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period approaching, the situation threatens to escalate further, placing immense pressure on lawmakers to resolve the budgetary impasse.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar