US Government Shutdown Leaves LA Airport without Air Traffic Control Crew

October 7, 2025 | 01:33 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A busy airport in California had no air traffic controllers on duty on late Monday, said the state governor, due to the impact of the US government shutdown spreading nationwide.

Hollywood Burbank Airport, which connects Los Angeles to the rest of the country, would be without qualified staff in the control tower for about six hours, Governor of California Gavin Newsom said.

"Thanks @realDonaldTrump!" wrote Newsom on X, as quoted by CNA. "Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. today because of YOUR government shutdown."

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates flights in the US, said departures to the airport were delayed by about two and a half hours. "BUR TOWER ATC ZERO. RATE REDUCED DUE TO STAFFING," it said in a statement.

The ABC7 broadcast station said its reporters had spoken with people at the airport who confirmed that the tower would not be staffed. The staff said duties at Burbank would be handled by a team in San Diego, who would communicate with pilots coming and going from the airport.

In a statement, an airport spokesperson said, "operations are continuing."

"We are advising passengers to check with their airline - before arriving at the airport - for updates on possible delays or cancellations," the statement said.

This development comes as the national government shutdown enters its second week, with Trump's Republican Party at odds with the Democrats on how to fund many functions of the US government.

Most federal employees have been placed on unpaid leave and are not getting paid during the shutdown. However, those undertaking jobs deemed essential, such as air traffic controllers, are expected to keep working, albeit without pay.

Political commentators said it was only a matter of time before this system, which is essentially a system based on goodwill, collapsed, and staff began taking sick leave without pay.

The Democratic Party has refused to provide the votes needed by the ruling Republican Party to reopen federal departments unless a deal is reached to extend the Obamacare health service subsidies set to expire.

They also pushed for the rescinding of some health program cuts enacted as part of the latest budget law released by Trump, the "One Big Beautiful Bill".The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill, signed into law on July 4, would strip healthcare coverage from 11 million Americans, primarily through cuts to Medicaid for low-income families.

This figure is in addition to the four million Americans who, according to the Democratic Party, would lose healthcare next year if health insurance subsidies were not extended, while another 24 million Americans would face double the premium increases.

The Republican Party argued that the expiring health service subsidies were unrelated to the continued operation of the government and could be dealt with separately before the year-end.

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