Flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) were suspended Sunday morning due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic control facility. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a temporary ground stop at LAX, one of the busiest airports in the world, shortly after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that travelers could face increased delays and cancellations in the coming days. This situation arises as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

During an interview on the Fox News program "Sunday Morning Futures," Duffy noted that the financial strain is leading to more controllers calling in sick. He stated, "Just yesterday, ... we had 22 staffing triggers. That’s one of the highest that we have seen in the system since the shutdown began. And that’s a sign that the controllers are wearing thin."

The FAA reported that flights destined for Los Angeles were held at their departure airports starting at 11:42 a.m. Eastern time, resulting in average delays of about one hour and 40 minutes. The agency anticipated lifting the ground stop by 1:30 p.m. Eastern time but indicated that traffic restrictions into LAX might continue.

In addition to LAX, staffing shortages also caused disruptions for takeoffs and arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport and Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, as well as at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, Florida. The FAA continues to monitor the situation as the impact of the staffing crisis unfolds across multiple airports.