While there have been absolutely bizarre reasons for flights to be delayed, more often than not planes are grounded because they cannot take off and fly safely. Mechanical problems are usually resolved quickly (carriers will change planes to avoid long delays or fix the problem on the spot), but personnel-related problems are more complex and sometimes outside the control of an airline or the carrier. This is the case of air traffic controllers, who are crucial for air traffic management.
Staff shortages in the aviation industry have been a concern since the COVID-19 pandemic due to myriad reasons, including lack of funding. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers in July 2025, along with its plans to increase and accelerate training and hiring. In regions with staff shortages, air traffic controllers have already been working more overtime than ever.
Air traffic controllers are FAA employees, and because they are considered essential workers, they are required to work even during extended government shutdowns at reduced pay or no immediate pay. A government shutdown, especially one that lasts for weeks, causes financial stress, with air traffic controllers calling in sick so they can work other jobs to make ends meet. In an already understaffed industry, a handful of workers not showing up for work causes major problems. Depending on their destinations, travelers should expect delays at airports that do not have enough air traffic control personnel or the equipment to operate without them.
Read more: The strange reasons the TSA may have pulled you aside for additional testing
Prolonged traffic control staff shortage could mean more flight delays
The FAA Air Traffic Organization found that an average of 44,000 flights were serviced every day in 2024. During peak operating hours, there are up to 5,500 planes in the air, so it’s easy to imagine that the shortage of air traffic controllers could cause major disruptions. In fact, flight delays and cancellations are one of the most common consequences of poor air traffic control in airport operations.
Although things are getting tense between pilots and air traffic controllers, pilots rely on air traffic controllers to navigate difficult conditions, such as bad weather, when visibility could be compromised, and direct them to avoid collisions with other aircraft. There are other ways to stay in contact with people on the ground, but communicating with air traffic controllers makes the flight process easier and less risky. Fewer air traffic controllers monitoring incoming and outgoing flights means there is less capacity to service planes, causing disruptions to travel schedules.
A delayed or canceled flight is never something that travelers like; No matter how fancy it is, no traveler wants to stay in the airport lounge longer than necessary. As the number of flights continues to increase and staff numbers struggle to keep up, travelers should not plan a trip without taking critical precautions.
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Read the original article about Islands.