Shutdown Pressures U.S. Air Travel; Oregon Flights Remain Stable

(UNITED STATES) The federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025 is straining the nation’s air travel system, with staffing shortages among unpaid air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration screeners driving delays and cancellations. While Oregon’s airports have avoided major problems so far, the national picture is worsening, and aviation leaders warn that stress on essential workers could trigger broader air travel disruption if the funding lapse continues.

The sharpest breakdown emerged in Southern California. At Hollywood Burbank Airport, there were no air traffic controllers for over five hours on October 6, forcing long ground holds and diversions. Average delays there stretched to about 2½ hours, one of the starkest scenes of the shutdown.

Two days later, on October 7, the ripple effects showed up at larger hubs: Newark reported average delays of 53 minutes and Denver 39 minutes, with some flights running up to two hours late as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) throttled arrivals to match thin staffing.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA saw a “slight tick-up in sick calls” among controllers who are working without pay and, in some cases, considering second jobs like driving for Uber to meet household expenses. The FAA has responded by slowing traffic into affected facilities to keep operations safe, accepting longer waits as the trade-off.

Aviation safety officials stress that the system remains safe because the agency reduces flow until the active controller team can manage it.

Situation in Oregon

In Oregon, the picture is steady, at least for now. Portland International (PDX), Eugene, Medford, and Redmond have reported minimal disruption.

Travel Oregon advises passengers to:

• Arrive early and expect variable wait times at security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection checkpoints
• Watch airline alerts closely and rebook quickly if delays stack up
• Build extra time for connections, especially international ones

That caution reflects the human side of this shutdown: essential workers must show up, even as paychecks stop, creating pressure that can change day by day.

National Pressure Builds

By the eighth day of the shutdown, a dozen FAA facilities were short-staffed, and thousands of flights nationwide were delayed or canceled.

Key points:

• Smaller towers and approach centers can tip over quickly when a few controllers call out.
• Busier hubs can face cascading delays as the FAA meters arrivals to prevent overload.
• This is why Hollywood Burbank Airport became a flashpoint: a shortfall at one tower forced airlines and pilots to hold or reroute, and recovery took hours.

Controller fatigue is a core worry. About 11,000 fully certified air traffic controllers are on the job without pay. Many were already working 10-hour days, six days a week before the funding lapse. Veteran controllers say the schedule grinds down focus and morale, especially when family bills pile up.

The next key test date is October 14, 2025, when many federal workers expect only a partial paycheck covering hours before the shutdown date. Missing a full paycheck after that could drive more sick calls and deepen the shortage.

The FAA’s safety-first strategy—slowing arrivals and spacing aircraft—prevents overload but creates visible pain for travelers: missed connections, late-night arrivals, and crew timeouts. Airlines can cushion some of this by boosting staffing in operations centers and rebooking passengers, but they cannot fix the upstream limits when towers and centers run short.

Flying remains safe, but the margin for on-time performance is thin.

Oregon’s Cushion — and Its Limits

Oregon’s relative calm stems from adequate staffing at local facilities and flexible scheduling by regional carriers. PDX has kept security lanes moving, and TSA teams there appear to be holding coverage.

Officials urge travelers to:

• Arrive earlier than usual, especially for morning departures
• Build extra time for customs if returning from abroad
• Watch airline alerts and rebook quickly if needed

Practical planning tips for local travelers:

• Consider taking an earlier flight or driving to PDX the night before for critical connections (e.g., Medford to Seattle international connections)
• Have backup plans for tight itineraries, such as alternate flights or flexible employers for work travel

Threat to Essential Air Service (EAS)

A deeper worry is the Essential Air Service (EAS) program, which supports scheduled flights to rural and remote communities.

• Secretary Duffy warned EAS could run out of funding as soon as Sunday, October 19, 2025, with Alaska facing the sharpest hit.
• If funding lapses, hundreds of daily flights to remote towns could end, affecting medical travel, school trips, and job access.
• The Department of Transportation estimates EAS supports more than 17,000 U.S. jobs and serves communities that are, on average, 200 miles from the nearest medium or large airport.

For background on the program, see the U.S. DOT Essential Air Service program: https://www.transportation.gov/policy/aviation-policy/small-community-rural-air-service/essential-air-service

Legal Limits on Worker Actions

Worker actions remain a legal red line. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association reminds members that strikes or job actions by essential workers are illegal and can lead to removal from federal service.

This warning recalls the 2018–2019 shutdown under President Trump, which lasted 35 days. Then, clusters of controller sick calls at facilities in New York, Washington, D.C., and Jacksonville triggered a ground stop at LaGuardia, applying public pressure that helped end the impasse. Industry leaders fear a similar pattern if pay suspensions stretch into late October.

Who Is Most at Risk

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the shutdown’s uneven effects heighten risk for travelers on tight timelines:

• Foreign students needing to report to campus by set dates
• Seasonal workers starting jobs tied to harvests or holidays
• Families with fixed return dates due to school schedules

While immigration processing at airports continues, wait times can vary when Customs and Border Protection officers are stretched. Building extra time into itineraries matters more now.

Practical Steps for Travelers

Practical steps can ease the burden. Recommended actions:

1. Book nonstop flights when possible.
2. Choose earlier departures — they have more recovery time if delays build.
3. Pack essentials in carry-on: medications, chargers, baby supplies, and an extra day of clothing.
4. Enroll in airline alerts and monitor airline apps frequently.
5. If traveling for work, ask employers to allow flexible arrival windows.
6. Contact the carrier early if an inbound connection slips to protect seats on the next available flight.

Final Takeaways

• Oregon remains relatively calm today, but it is linked to a stressed national system and the situation can shift quickly.
• The shutdown’s end would release pressure almost immediately. Until then, safety measures that keep planes apart will also keep clocks running late.
• The coming pay period—starting October 14—will be a key test of whether the system bends or breaks.