Posted on 10/28/2025 7:05:22 AM PDT by Red Badger
(The Epoch Times)—More than 5,600 flights across the United States were delayed on Oct. 27 primarily due to air traffic controller staffing shortages, as the federal government shutdown entered its fourth week.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said ground delay programs were put in place at major airports like Newark Airport in New Jersey, Austin Airport in Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Flights in the southeast have also experienced delays due to significant staffing shortages at the Atlanta Terminal Radar Approach Control, which oversees much of the region’s air traffic, according to the FAA.
The agency cited air traffic controller absences as the main factor behind the delays. A day earlier, on Oct. 26, more than 8,800 flights were delayed nationwide.
Flight delays rippled through U.S. airports, including Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), which issued a ground stop on Oct. 26 that lasted nearly two hours for flights departing to and from the Bay Area.
In New Jersey, Newark Liberty International Airport faced a ground delay of more than two hours due to staffing issues.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Oct. 26 that about 13,000 air traffic controllers are going to be unpaid starting Oct. 28 due to the government shutdown.
“On Tuesday, 13,000 air traffic controllers will get a $0 paycheck because Democrats are holding the government hostage,” Duffy stated on X. “The fact that they are having to think about how to put food on the table is UNACCEPTABLE.”
The government shutdown entered its 27th day on Oct. 27, as efforts to resolve the impasse failed. The Senate on Oct. 22 again rejected a Republican-backed stopgap funding measure, which failed to secure the 60 votes required for passage. It was the 12th time a Senate vote on the plan failed.
Lawmakers from both parties have traded blame over responsibility for the government shutdown. Republicans blamed the Democrats for the lapse in federal funding, accusing them of hindering efforts to pass a “clean” resolution with no policy additions.
Democrats said that Republicans triggered the shutdown by refusing to negotiate over their proposals for health care funding, which include the Affordable Care Act tax subsidies that are set to expire on Dec. 31.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing over 800,000 federal workers, has suggested that Congress should reopen the government through “a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.”
“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” Kelley stated on Oct. 27. “Today I’m making mine: it’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today.”
Jacki Thrapp and Reuters contributed to this report.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Democrats said that Republicans triggered the shutdown by refusing to negotiate over their proposals for health care funding.
BS the democrats own the shut down 100% and try to pass the buck as usual.
They want to keep free medical and a lot of other things for their base illegals.
Secretary Sean Duffy said “The fact that they are having to think about how to put food on the table is UNACCEPTABLE.”
You bet it is. Everybody should have six months of savings for emergencies as well store lots of food in your home. It’s UNACCEPTABLE that people don’t contingency plans for loss of income.
Methinks Trump gets blamed if a plane crashes. The focus ends up on who’s in charge not the group responsible.
Yet, the EBT crowd blames Trump 100%. Apparently, they slept through Civics class so are clueless who has the power over the budget.
Looks like the demonrats have outed themselves where the biggest kickbacks come from.
That is rather dumb wasting their sick leave when they might not get paid on time. Might be a good thing they aren't directing the air.
The airspace can be closed except for airliners and cargo jets.
The thunderstorm season is over.
Air traffic control is now much simpler.
The negative impact of enhanced subsidy expiration is 3.10% of income at 138% of FPL, less than 9 days of pay.
Getting to pay for health insurance with nine days’ pay is a great deal. That’s what Pelosi’s pre-enhanced subsidy PPACA provides for.
Premium cost as a percentage of income
Under 100%
Not eligible for subsidies since day 1
[The PPACA was never affordable for me.]
[I went without health insurance for over 30 years as an adult.]
[changes on expiration of enhanced credit]
100% — 138% of FPL household income
0% -> 2.07% (about six days of after-tax income)[increase of ~6 days]
138% — 150%
0% -> 3.10%-4.14% (about 10 to 13 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~10 to ~13 days]
150% — 200%
2% -> 4.14%-6.52% (about 13 to 22 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~4 to ~7 days]
200% — 250%
4% -> 6.52%-8.33% (about 22 to 28 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~11 to ~17 days]
250% — 300%
6% -> 8.33%—9.83% (about 28 to 32 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~17 to ~21 days]
300% — 400%
8.5% -> 9.3% (about 32 to 36 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~2 days]
Over 400%
8.5% -> no subsidy at all
The negative impact of enhanced subsidy expiration is 3.10% of income at 138% of FPL, less than 9 days of pay.
Health insurance should not be free. Health care costs are the number one financial problem in America.
[The base percentages I believe come from the KFF. I didn’t save the link.]
Schumer is a terrorist.
150% — 200%
2% -> 4.14%-6.52% (about 13 to 22 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~7 to ~14 days]
Except for the military, America and the American People NEED most of the rest of the federal gov’t to be shut down - PERMANENTLY!!!
MAGA with MORE freedom and LESS gov’t!!
LESS gov’t, MORE prosperity!!!
These unreliable people probably are going to have to be replaced by fully automatic systems.
People that will be writing replacement software will need to learn about aviation.
“SIGMET, or Significant Meteorological Information...is a severe weather advisory that contains meteorological information concerning the safety of all aircraft. Compared to AIRMETs, SIGMETs cover more severe weather.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIGMET
The Republicans should end the filibuster and pass needed reforms.
Trump can hold the line until 2029.
Many Democratic areas of the US can be handed back to Mexico, given to Canada, or made independent.
“Except for the military”
The military needs a trim of about 70%.
The navy should be reduced to submarines and one carrier group.
If you’re not first-class army, bye.
Manned combat aircraft, tank and large surface vessel procurement should end.
It would seem that ATC is the perfect use for AI..............
Most marines and army people should do private sector construction work (or police work) in the spring, summer and fall and retrain in the winter.
Shutting down the gov’t except for the military does not exclude trimming waste from the military.
Premium cost as a percentage of income
Under 100%
Not eligible for subsidies since day 1
[The PPACA was never affordable for me.]
[I went without health insurance for over 30 years as an adult.]
[changes on expiration of enhanced credit]
100% — 138% of FPL household income
0% -> 2.07% (about six days of after-tax income)[increase of ~6 days]
138% — 150%
0% -> 3.10%-4.14% (about 10 to 13 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~10 to ~13 days]
150% — 200%
2% -> 4.14%-6.52% (about 13 to 22 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~7 to ~14 days]
200% — 250%
4% -> 6.52%-8.33% (about 22 to 28 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~9 to ~14 days]
250% — 300%
6% -> 8.33%—9.83% (about 28 to 32 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~9 to ~12 days]
300% — 400%
8.5% -> 9.3% (about 32 to 36 days of after-tax income)[increase of ~2 days]
Over 400%
8.5% -> no subsidy at all
The negative impact of enhanced subsidy expiration is 3.10% of income at 138% of FPL, less than 9 days of pay.
Health insurance should not be free. Health care costs are the number one financial problem in America.
[The base percentages I believe come from the KFF. I didn’t save the link.]
Sorry about the really bad math.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.