A pilot at Hollywood Burbank Airport in California expected a routine exchange with air traffic control before Monday’s takeoff but was met with an unexpected reply instead of the usual departure instructions.
“The tower is closed due to staffing,” as per the audio recorded by LiveATC.net.
The incident highlights how the ongoing government shutdown is affecting travelers nationwide. Staffing shortages among air traffic controllers have caused delays at major airports and forced pilots in some regions to adjust to alternative procedures.
Air traffic controllers are classified as essential employees, meaning they are required to work during the shutdown but are doing so without pay.
On Monday night, twelve Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facilities reported staffing shortages. Control towers in Burbank, Phoenix, and Denver were flagged with “staffing triggers” in the FAA’s publicly released operations plan.
Additional air traffic facilities serving airports in Newark, New Jersey; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; and Indianapolis also reported staffing shortages.
The situation was most severe at Burbank Airport, where the control tower completely shut down around 4:15 p.m. Monday. While flights were still able to take off and land, they had to follow protocols usually reserved for small, tower-less airports, resulting in delays exceeding two and a half hours at one point.
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Denver International and Newark Liberty International airports experienced ground delays, with flights held on the tarmac until controllers could manage departures. Both airports serve as major United Airlines hubs.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday that the number of controllers calling in sick has risen since the shutdown began, following his discussions with staff at the Newark control tower.
During the shutdown, Duffy emphasized that the government will take all necessary steps to ensure airspace safety.
“If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that’s safe for the American people,” he said, a warning that foreshadowed the delays that unfolded later Monday.
Federal law prohibits organized strikes, but with air traffic control staffing already stretched thin, even a few employees taking unscheduled time off can create serious disruptions.
“If someone has to take sick leave to drive Uber to make the difference, those are decisions they’re going to make themselves,” Duffy said, urging an end to the shutdown, which he blamed on congressional Democrats. “I don’t want them finding a second job to pay them, a job to pay the bills. I want them to get paid for the work they’re doing today, keeping our planes in the air.”
On Monday in Burbank, the pilot who contacted the control tower ahead of takeoff was informed that the staff had already left for the day. “Clearence is closed, ground is closed, local is closed. The tower is closed due to staffing, please contact SoCal on the 800 (phone) number,” as per a voice on the tower frequency told a pilot, in audio recorded by LiveATC.net.
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Southern California TRACON, the FAA facility in San Diego managing regional air traffic, stepped in to handle certain operations, but much of the control fell to the pilots themselves. The tower’s radio frequency was converted into a “common traffic advisory frequency,” requiring pilots to announce their intentions to other aircraft and ensure they maintain safe separation.
The Department of Transportation announced Monday that the Essential Air Service, which subsidizes airlines serving small cities that might otherwise lack air connections, is set to expire on Sunday.
The Essential Air Service program was established to guarantee air service for smaller, rural communities. In a statement, the Transportation Department said it had “exhausted every resource” to address the funding gap, including advancing unrelated FAA funds.
“The number one user of this air space is Alaska,” Duffy told reporters, as quoted by CNN. “You don’t have roads in Alaska. They travel by air, and a lot of these are small communities. Alaska will be impacted, but every state across the country will be impacted by the inability to provide the subsidies to airlines to service these communities.”
Several airlines that run these routes plan to continue operations in the short term, but prolonged government shutdowns could force them to halt service.
“We are working with each community and evaluating our capabilities in the event of a longer-term government shutdown,” Skywest Airlines, said in a statement. “It is our intent to honor our service commitments, including those under the Federal EAS program.”