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Passengers across the United States are preparing for increasing delays as airport staffing shortages continue to worsen 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 workforce issues reported at several key airports including facilities in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia.

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

He expressed serious worry that should the closure persist, it could potentially disrupt countless American Thanksgiving travel plans in November.

Flight Delays and Operational Issues

Staffing shortages, featuring an increased rate of workers taking sick leave, affected major airports around New York, Los Angeles and Denver on Monday, causing postponements affecting more than 6,000 flights across the country.

• Burbank airport's air traffic control was briefly shut down and operations were handled by a different location
• The Nashville facility experienced delays of approximately two hours due to workforce challenges
• O'Hare Airport in Chicago recorded average delays of nearly three-quarters of an hour
• Dallas-Fort Worth had postponements recorded at 30 minutes

Industry Response and Union Position

The primary air traffic controllers union emphasized that it does not endorse any coordinated activities that could negatively affect the National Airspace System.

The union stated that flight controllers take their responsibility to ensure passenger security very seriously and participating in any work stoppage could result in removal from federal service.

Official Viewpoint

Transportation Secretary the transportation official warned that the national flight control network is being harmed from the continuing federal closure.

"They aren't only thinking about the flight paths," he commented regarding flight controllers who are working without pay. "They're thinking about, 'Am I going to get a paycheck'?"

The official observed that many controllers live paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford prolonged durations without payment.

Wider Consequences

Based on emergency preparations, approximately 25% of the employees, or over eleven thousand FAA employees, were furloughed when the closure started last week.

Nevertheless, 13,000 air traffic controllers continue working, with hiring and training continuing as well.

Labor leader Nick Daniels indicated that the shutdown has highlighted preexisting issues encountered by flight controllers, including workforce gaps and aging technology.

He clarified that the situation is especially serious at smaller airports where reduced personnel creates additional challenges.

Regardless of the extensive postponements, aviation analytics showed that approximately ninety-two percent of flights departing from US airports departed as scheduled as of Tuesday afternoon.

The aviation regulator had not activated a "workforce threshold" that would reduce the number of flights in and out of airports, indicating that activities were proceeding despite the challenges.