Thousands of flights canceled as FAA struggles with controller shortage

Even as the U.S. government shutdown nears an end, the nation’s aviation system remains under severe strain. A shortage of nearly 3,000 air traffic controllers has left more than 14,000 others overworked, forcing the FAA to cut flights by up to 10% at the country’s busiest airports.

Source  The New York Times

Over the weekend, thousands of flights were canceled, marking one of the worst disruptions of the year. The prolonged shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — has deepened existing issues within the air traffic control system, which experts say is “ailing and outdated.”

While Congress has approved $12.5 billion to modernize the system and expand staffing, the recovery will take time. Lawmakers hope that ending the shutdown this week will allow operations to stabilize before the Thanksgiving travel rush, one of the busiest periods for American air travel.