Major Airport Faces Ground Delay Amid Government Shutdown, FAA Says

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a ground delay at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Monday.

The ground delay is in place from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“As Secretary Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system,” the FAA said in a statement, according to WFAA.

“When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations,” it added.

FAA issues ground delay for DFW Airport due to staffing issues
https://t.co/UORAVRxgcE

— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) October 27, 2025

WFAA shared:

Per the FAA, passengers can anticipate an average delay of 18 minutes. According to FlightAware data, there have been 413 delays and two cancellations at DFW as of 5:45 p.m.

DFW is not the only airport being impacted by staffing issues. FAA data shows that Austin-Bergstrom International is on a ground stop due to personnel constraints.

“America’s air traffic controllers will receive their first ZERO-DOLLAR paycheck tomorrow,” the USDOT Rapid Response X account stated.

“Democrats must open up our government!” it added.

America’s air traffic controllers will receive their first ZERO-DOLLAR paycheck tomorrow.

Democrats must open up our government! pic.twitter.com/NnSU3skWM4

— USDOT Rapid Response (@USDOTRapid) October 27, 2025

“Air traffic controllers will stop getting paid starting TOMORROW. This is not ok! I just visited several of them at @goingplacesCLE and they are worried about paying their mortgage. @SenSchumer and @RepJeffries you’ve got to do better!” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

Air traffic controllers will stop getting paid starting TOMORROW. This is not ok!

I just visited several of them at @goingplacesCLE and they are worried about paying their mortgage.@SenSchumer and @RepJeffries you’ve got to do better! pic.twitter.com/9czpNlu1Tk

— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 27, 2025

More from The Dallas Morning News:

As of 3 p.m., DFW, which is the central hub of American Airlines, had 301 delays and two cancellations, according to data from flight-tracking site FlightAware.

The delay at DFW Airport mirrors similar delays other major U.S. airports have faced in the wake of the ongoing government shutdown, which hit its 27th day on Monday. The Associated Press reported earlier this month that the FAA slowed takeoffs to Dallas due to staffing shortages and faced staffing shortages at an air traffic control center in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Dallas Love Field, the headquarters of Southwest Airlines, did not appear to have impacted operations Monday afternoon.

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