(NEXSTAR) – The federal government shutdown, which began Oct. 1, has started to impact air travel, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy admitted, as air traffic controllers – who are working without pay – call out sick. Several major airports were experiencing delays on Wednesday, and smaller airports were at risk of losing service altogether by the end of the week.
The Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes airline service to small communities across the country, is set to run out of money soon.
“That money runs out this Sunday. So there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” Duffy said.
The Essential Air Service program subsidizes, when necessary, airlines to ensure there are two round trips a day on smaller planes (usually 30 to 50 seats) from small, rural airports. These flights usually go to and from nearby medium or large airport hubs, connecting people in remote areas to resources they may not be able to get locally.
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As of fall of 2024, the program was serving 65 communities in Alaska and 112 communities in the mainland U.S., Hawaii and Puerto Rico “that otherwise may not receive any scheduled air service,” according to the Department of Transportation.
Duffy said the program enjoys strong bipartisan support and provides an important lifeline to many small communities. It is especially important in Alaska, where flying is the only way to travel between many communities.
Meanwhile, as the government shutdown tips into its second week, flyers at even major airports are feeling the impact.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing issues at airports in Nashville, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Philadelphia, and at its air traffic control centers in Atlanta, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The agency temporarily slowed takeoffs of planes headed to the first three cities.
The staffing issues could get worse if the shutdown continues to drag on and a regularly scheduled payday passes, as more workers are tempted to call out sick if they’re not getting paid.
Duffy said Monday that there has already been an uptick in air traffic controllers calling out sick at a few locations. When there aren’t enough controllers, the FAA must reduce the number of takeoffs and landings to maintain safety, which in turn causes flight delays and possible cancellations.
That’s what happened Monday afternoon, when the control tower at Southern California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport shut down for several hours, leading to average delays of two-and-a-half hours.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
, 2025-10-08 18:59:00, 
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