Travellers are in for a rough week, as the partial government shutdown nears its one-month mark and Hurricane Melissa continues to cause disruptions.
On Oct. 26, the Federal Aviation Administration said staffing shortages prompted a nearly two-hour ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport and the FAA’s National Airspace System Status webpage is forecasting possible ground stops or delays at several airports including Boston Logan International Airport, Denver International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport.
Related: Airlines cancel flights, offer waivers as Hurricane Melissa heads towards Jamaica
On top of staffing shortages prompted by the shutdown, Hurricane Melissa continues to barrel toward Jamaica with the potential for heavy rains, powerful winds and flooding across the south and west coast.
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What travelers should know as disruptions continue
The shutdown has wreaked havoc on flight plans all around the country, due to a lack of air traffic controllers, TSA officers and other air safety personnel.
While air traffic controllers are considered essential workers, who are required to work regardless of pay during the shutdown, a growing number of workers have called out sick or not shown up and flights have been grounded as a result.
Related: These airports are facing major flight delays amid the government shutdown
“What I see coming forward as we get to Monday, tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday, that you’re going to see more staffing shortages in towers, which means you’re going to see more delays, more cancellations,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News.
While airlines are not required to compensate for delays outside their control, such as weather disruptions, some have been offering benefits for controllable delays longer than three hours.
Travellers can view airline-specific details on these benefits on the Department of Transportation’s consumer dashboard.
Still, travellers whose flights are cancelled for any reason are eligible for a refund if they choose to fly no longer.
If they still want to continue their trip, airlines will typically book them on the next available flight at no cost.
And some airlines offer additional compensation such as meal vouchers and hotel accommodations for controllable cancellations.
According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, one in five Delta flights and more than 20% of JetBlue flights, 25% of United and Frontier flights, 30% of Spirit flights, 35% of American Airlines flights and 45% of Southwest flights were delayed on Oct. 26.
Despite the flight delays, Duffy says its still safe to fly.
“If I don’t feel like I have enough controllers or enough controllers that are focused, we will slow down traffic,” Duffy said. “We will stop traffic and that’s why you see the delays in the system.”
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This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the Airlines section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
