Flights to LAX were temporarily halted Sunday as the FAA cited a shortage of air traffic controllers linked to the ongoing federal government shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration said flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted Sunday morning due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility.

The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed and canceled in the coming days as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown.

During an appearance on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures,” Duffy said more controllers were calling in sick as money worries compound the stress of an already challenging job.

  • mech@feddit.org
    12·
    10 hours ago

    simple as that, the company hires new people.

    From where? The large pool of unemployed skilled air traffic controllers?

    • Lyrl@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      2·
      5 hours ago

      Military (who can’t refuse orders), retiree scabs (presumably lucratively paid), and those who can’t afford to go without a paycheck to support the strike (was ~10% of the controllers in 1981).

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1981_Professional_Air_Traffic_Controllers_Organization_strike

      On Monday, August 3rd, 1981, over 13,000 ATCs went on strike. By the morning, the strike had stopped over 50% of flights; this number rose to 70% later in that day… ATC towers were staffed by non-striking ATCs, along with military personnel and retired ATCs who agreed to return to work. Ultimately, the government action was effective at defeating the union. Only 1,300 of the striking workers were able to retain their jobs, and none of them attained their demands.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        4 hours ago

        And staffing still hasn’t recovered since that.

        The full FTE to serve the country is ~14,600 and there are 10,600 employed currently.

        • gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de
          1·
          3 hours ago

          the reason why companies are chronically understaffed is so companies save money. why pay more employees when the existing employees can handle the workload?