Government Shutdown Looms: Key Trump Administration Updates for November 6, 2025

Air traffic control operations have faced significant staffing challenges, prompting immediate measures to ensure safe flight operations. This instability comes just before the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructs airlines to begin reducing flights at several major airports across the nation.

Current Air Traffic Staffing Issues

On this critical day, air traffic control facilities reported 25 instances of staffing shortfalls. The resulting delays were substantial, affecting major cities as follows:

• Dallas-Fort Worth: Delays averaging over 30 minutes
• Chicago O’Hare: Delays of over an hour
• Ronald Reagan Washington National: Delays exceeding 2 hours
• Newark International: Delays more than 3 hours

Short-Staffing at Key Airports

Several airports were notably affected by staffing shortages, including:

• Chicago’s Midway and O’Hare International
• Dallas-Fort Worth International
• Nashville International
• Ronald Reagan National
• San Francisco International Airport

TRACONs, which manage flight approaches and departures, also faced significant personnel challenges. Key areas with insufficient controller staffing included:

• Boston
• Chicago
• Dallas
• Detroit
• Houston
• Las Vegas
• Newark

High-Altitude Control Centers

Air traffic control centers, responsible for high-altitude flight management, reported understaffing in critical regions such as:

• Atlanta
• Cleveland
• Kansas City
• Indianapolis
• New York
• Washington, DC

Throughout the ongoing government disruption, 450 staffing issues have been noted, a stark increase compared to the previous year, highlighting the severe operational challenges facing air traffic management.