Air traffic controllers have been working without pay since October 1, and an increasing number of them have been calling in sick as the shutdown extends into its second month.
These staffing shortages prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate a 10% reduction in flights at 40 of the country's busiest airports, forcing airlines to cancel flights.
That started with a 4% reduction on Friday. It will ramp up to 10% by November 14.
Some 750 flights have so far been canceled as of 6 a.m. ET on Friday, according to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics firm. Only domestic trips are directly affected by the FAA mandate, with major airline hubs bearing the brunt of the impact.
How did we get here?
The government shutdown means federal employees like air traffic controllers aren't getting their usual paychecks. But since they're critical to safety, they still have to turn up for work.
As the shutdown persists into a second month, however, an increasing number of controllers are calling in sick.
The first signs of stress were evident six days into the shutdown. Hollywood Burbank Airport's air traffic control tower was unstaffed for hours on the evening of October 6.
Flights could still take off and land as approach operations were handled remotely by a facility in San Diego. But for taxiing to and from the runway, pilots had to communicate among themselves.
Over the ensuing weeks, it became more common for the FAA to institute ground stops or ground delays at several airports nationwide due to ATC staffing shortages.
