LAX is the latest airport to be impacted by the US Federal shutdown with delays reported through Sunday after the Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, due to staffing shortages at a Southern California air traffic facility.
Flights departing for LAX halted starting at 11:42 a.m. Eastern time, causing delays averaging one hour and 40 minutes. The agency lifted the ground stop at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time but might restrict traffic into LAX.
Staffing shortages also disrupted takeoffs and arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport, Teterboro Airport, and Southwest Florida International Airport.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted 22 staffing triggers the previous day, the highest since the shutdown began, as controllers work without pay. Aviation disruptions include shortages at 18 Federal Aviation Administration facilities, with 13,000 controllers unpaid and delays averaging two and a half hours.
The US federal shutdown started October 1, 2025, furloughing 750,000 workers and costing €920m weekly in travel spending.
The Essential Air Service programme ends funding on October 26, cancelling flights to 170 rural areas.
Hospitality loses €600m in hotel revenue by October 23, with international visits projected to drop 6.3bn to 67.9m in 2025.
National parks furlough 9,296 staff, turning away one million daily visitors and losing €37m in local spending; Smithsonian closes 21 museums from October 12.
Sean Duffy shared “Just yesterday we had 22 staffing triggers. That’s one of the highest that we have seen in the system since the shutdown began. And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin.”
US Travel Association shared “The shutdown costs the economy €920m each week in lost travel spending alone.”
