Burbank Airport Experiences Disruptions asโค Air Traffic Control Tower Goesโ Unstaffed โDuring Government shutdown
Hollywood Burbank Airport experienced important flight delays and cancellations Mondayโ due to โan unstaffed air traffic control tower, a outcome โคof the ongoing governmentโ shutdown stemmingโฃ from the impasse between Democrats and Republicans. โThe tower was without personnel โคfromโข 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m.,according to FAA spokesperson Kristen Alsop.
The staffing โคshortage โขis occurring as air traffic controllersโค work without pay during the shutdown. Transportation secretary Sean Duffy reported a slight increase in air traffic control workers calling inโ sick.As of 5 p.m.,outgoing flights at the airport were delayedโ by an average ofโข two โฃhours and 31 minutes,withโข the longest delay reaching three โขhoursโข and 55 minutes,attributed to both staffing shortages and ongoingโ runway construction. By 6:30 p.m., the airport โreported 25 arrival delays, 17 departure delays, โขseven arrival cancellations, and five departure cancellations, โขas stated by airport spokesperson โMike Christensen.
Despite the unmanned tower, air traffic flow was โคmaintained by Southern โขCalifornia TRACON,โ a San Diego-based FAA institution โขutilizing radarโ technology toโ manageโฃ airspace around numerous Southern California โairports.
California Governor Gavin Newsom publiclyโ criticized Presidentโ trump,โ stating via X (formerly Twitter), โค”Thanks, @realDonaldTrump! Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today becauseโ ofโ YOUR government shutdown.”
Theโ National Air traffic โControllers Assn. (NATCA) โคhighlighted the situation as evidence of the fragility of the aviation system given a pre-existing national shortage of air traffic controllers. The unionโ emphasized the urgent need to accelerate training and hiring, โขnoting that nearly 11,000 controllers are currently working without pay, many working extended โshifts – up to โขsix days a week with 10-hour days.โ NATCAโ stated it is indeed collaborating with the โคFAA to minimize disruptions and advocate for increased hiring.
The FAA confirmed that delaysโฃ were โalso occurring โat other airports nationwide, including Newark Liberty International Airport, Denver International Airport, and Harry Reid International Airport in โlas Vegas. Monday marked the sixth day of the governmentโ shutdown, impactingโ hundredsโ of thousands of federal employees through furloughs or unpaid work, andโฃ leadingโฃ to suspensions or โreductions in agencyโข operations.