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Passengers across the United States are preparing for increasing delays as workforce gaps at airports further deteriorate during the current government closure, now entering its seventh consecutive day.

Growing Concerns Over Aviation System

Labor leaders for air traffic controllers and TSA agents have warned that the circumstances is likely to deteriorate, with staffing challenges documented at several major airports including facilities in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville and Philadelphia.

"The potential of wider impacts to the American air travel network is growing by the day," stated aviation expert Henry Harteveldt.

He expressed serious worry that if the shutdown continues, it could potentially disrupt countless American Thanksgiving travel plans in November.

Flight Delays and Operational Issues

Staffing shortages, featuring an elevated number of employees calling in sick, affected major airports around New York, Los Angeles and Denver on Monday, causing delays for over 6,000 flights across the country.

• The Burbank facility's flight control was briefly shut down and responsibilities were managed by another facility
• Nashville airport reported delays of approximately two hours due to staffing issues
• O'Hare Airport in Chicago showed average delays of nearly three-quarters of an hour
• Dallas-Fort Worth had postponements recorded at half an hour

Industry Response and Labor Stance

The primary air traffic controllers union stressed that it does not endorse any coordinated activities that could adversely impact the national flight network.

The union clarified that air traffic controllers value their duty to ensure passenger security very seriously and engaging in any job action could lead to termination of employment.

Government Perspective

The Transportation Department head the transportation official warned that the national flight control network is suffering damage from the ongoing government shutdown.

"They're not just thinking about the airspace," he commented regarding flight controllers who are not receiving salaries. "They're thinking about, 'Am I going to get a salary'?"

He observed that many operators depend on regular income and cannot afford extended periods without payment.

Wider Consequences

According to emergency preparations, roughly 25% of the employees, or more than 11,000 FAA employees, were furloughed when the closure started last week.

However, 13,000 air traffic controllers continue working, with hiring and training also ongoing.

Labor leader Nick Daniels pointed out that the shutdown has emphasized preexisting issues encountered by flight controllers, including workforce gaps and outdated equipment.

He explained that the circumstances is particularly grave at smaller airports where limited staffing creates additional challenges.

Regardless of the extensive postponements, flight data showed that roughly ninety-two percent of flights departing from US airports took off on time as of Tuesday afternoon.

The Federal Aviation Administration had not issued a "staffing trigger" that would decrease the flight volume in and out of airports, indicating that activities were continuing despite the challenges.