Travelers in Houston could face more flight delays as the Federal Aviation Administration warned of possible ground stops at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport after 2 p.m. on Friday, following earlier shutdown-related disruptions this week. Staffing shortages linked to the prolonged government shutdown have affected TSA and air traffic operations, building on ground stops that already occurred on Tuesday and on Thursday.
Transportation officials say employees are missing work or taking second jobs due to missed pay, raising safety concerns as the shutdown drags on. John Bratcher noted the human toll, saying, “We have single parents that, you know, rely on pay for childcare and such so that they can come to do this job,” according to KHOU.
A federal shutdown is delaying flights in several cities. Reuters reports the Federal Aviation Administration has delayed flights in Houston, New York, Washington and Newark due to staffing issues. On Thursday, more than 4,200 U.S. flights were delayed. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport saw average delays of 31 minutes, and New York LaGuardia averaged 62 minutes, as per Reuters. Officials say delays may increase during the holiday season if the shutdown continues, as Federal Aviation Administration staffing could fall further without pay. The shutdown remains unresolved in Washington.
