Flights are delayed to many U.S. airports as a result of a “slight increase in sick leave” at air traffic control centers in Jacksonville and Washington, D.C., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The FAA is reporting that there are delays in air travel but that safety is being maintained during a period of “minimal impacts” on travel.
STORY: Government shutdown: Senate unanimously approves bill to reopen government
FAA spokesman Gregory Martin says the agency has augmented staffing, rerouted traffic and increased spacing between planes as needed.
LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey were both experiencing delays in takeoffs.
Debbie Jones, spokesperson for the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, says there are no issues directly at the control tower at Jacksonville International Airport.
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority says it is always a safe bet to check with your airline if you are scheduled to fly.
On Friday, Marty Mayer waited for her friend Barbara Rodgers' delayed plane to land in Jacksonville. “I feel awful for the people who are required by law to work but aren’t given any compensation,” Mayer said.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association released a statement Friday saying, in part, "Air traffic controllers take their responsibility to protect the safety of the flying public at all costs very seriously. Nothing else matters except safety."
Rodgers said pilots updated passengers about the ground stop at LaGuardia. “The pilot told us there were 28 planes in front of us waiting to leave," she said.
President Donald Trump announced that the government would open for three weeks and that he will work to get federal workers' back pay as soon as possible.
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