The Hollywood Burbank Airport air traffic control tower became unmanned on Monday night as the government shutdown started to have effects on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel across the country.
The tower was left unattended as of 4:15 p.m., the FAA predicted that staffing wouldn’t resume until close to 10 p.m. The FAA reportedly worked on getting replacements in place ahead of schedule to minimize disruptions.
Eyewitness News had verified that Burbank air traffic controllers vacated their stations at 4:15 p.m., transferring responsibility to Southern California TRACON – an approach and departure control unit operating out of San Diego. The TRACON staff is handling the area’s air traffic remotely, coordinating with pilots departing and arriving at Burbank during the staffing lapse. While TRACON is already processing large segments of Southern California air traffic remotely, this temporary procedure illustrates the burden created by the shutdown.
Within Burbank Airport at the time of the handoff, the arrivals and departures board indicated minimal disruption – no cancellations and just a handful of delays. Airport officials are optimistic the effect on travelers will stay limited, although the full magnitude of delays is uncertain as the shutdown enters its sixth day.
An FAA warning stated that staffing issues were already causing delays at other large hubs, such as Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Phoenix. The warning advised that as air traffic controllers keep working without pay, sick calls and staffing shortages may result in more widespread disruptions.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there has been “a slight tick up in sick calls” but acknowledged that even if there are more sick calls, the FAA will decrease the flow in a way that is consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people.
As it stands, airport security checkpoints and control towers continue to be manned across the country, with approximately 13,200 air traffic controllers and 61,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers still on the job without pay. Still, specialists caution that the longer the pay freeze lasts, the more stressed the aviation system is likely to become.
Metropolitan State University of Denver professor of aviation Jeffrey Price told that the system might be “a little bit more brittle” in case of a long shutdown. “The longer this continues, the more the traveler’s going to feel it,” he said.
The scenario is reminiscent of the 2018-2019 government shutdown, the longest ever to occur in U.S. history, which lasted 35 days in Donald Trump’s first term. Then, TSA agents and air traffic controllers reported higher rates of sick calls, resulting in terminal closures and severe delays in flight. Miami International Airport even closed one of its terminals for a short time because of staff shortages, and controllers brought suit to compel payment.
This week’s shutdown comes at a particularly precarious moment for U.S. air travel. Both the FAA and TSA have been coping with chronic staffing deficiencies, such as an estimated 3,000 shortfall of air traffic controllers across the country. If staffing fails to keep pace, the FAA could have to throttle back takeoffs and landings, resulting inevitably in additional flight delays and cancellations for travelers.
Air traffic controllers can anticipate receiving one last partial paycheck for work done prior to the shutdown halfway through the pay period. Their next paycheck won’t come until the government reopens. While back pay is assured as soon as the shutdown ends, most of the essential workers are already hurting.
The FAA is keeping operations under close watch, safeguarding passengers while navigating the increased burden of unpaid work and reduced staffing. In the meantime, flights departing from and arriving in Burbank are still in service – but as the impasse wears on, travelers nationwide may eventually catch the whirlwind.
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