DENVER — One week into the government shutdown, travelers at Denver International Airport are bracing for potential flight disruptions as air traffic controller sick calls climb nationwide.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports an increasing number of air traffic controllers are calling out sick, though more than 13,000 controllers will continue working without pay during the shutdown, according to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) shutdown plan.
- Read the DOT's full government shutdown plan below:
"If we have additional sick calls, we will reduce the flow consistent with a rate that's safe for the American people," said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Air traffic controllers are considered essential workers and are exempt from being furloughed during a government shutdown. They are not paid during the shutdown, but will receive back pay once the government reopens.
On Monday, Denver International Airport was among three airports nationwide experiencing delays related to staffing shortages. Hollywood Burbank Airport saw the biggest impact, shutting down entirely due to the shortage.
Traveler Denise Ramsden told the Scripps News Group Tuesday she's monitoring her departure time at DIA closely.
"We've been keeping an eye on our own departure time to make sure that it's still on time," Ramsden said.
Some passengers are avoiding air travel altogether during the shutdown. Jill Ricker said she plans to stay grounded now that she's back home in Denver.
"I'm going to stay home for a few weeks," Ricker said. "I'm not going anywhere."
By 7 p.m. Tuesday, delays stacked up to nearly 200 flights in and out of Denver. The Scripps News Group reached out to the FAA to find out what was behind those delays. The FAA responded, "Due to a lapse in funding, the FAA is not responding to routine media inquiries."
Aviation expert Steve Cowell said there's no doubt the delays are due to staffing shortages.
"Yeah, absolutely. Every delay is because of this," said Cowell. "It's not because of the weather, and it's not because of anything operationally that's going on at Denver International, other than the lack of controllers."
While the staffing shortage affects flight timing, Cowell said it won't impact passenger safety.
"They don't compromise safety," he said. "But what they do is they make adjustments so you're going to be spaced further out from the airplane ahead of you."
During the longest shutdown in U.S. history in 2019, impacts on air travel played a major role in the government reopening. Cowell believes that will likely be the case once again.
"We may have to see the tipping point, such as the aviation industry," he said. "That's going to ignite the fire to bring these two sides together."
With fall travel in full swing, travelers told us they're hopeful for smoother skies ahead.
"I think that some decisions need to be made so that we can get back to work, business as usual," said Ramsden.
For the latest on delays and cancellations in and out of DIA, visit FlightAware.
