FAA delays flights due to weather and staffing shortages

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday that it is implementing flight delays into three New York City area airports and Philadelphia International Airport. The disruptions are attributed to a combination of severe weather conditions and persistent air traffic control staffing shortages.

Staffing issues specifically at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center are impacting operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). According to FlightAware, these issues have led to between 20% and 30% of flights being canceled at the four affected airports. Ground delays are averaging between 71 and 149 minutes.

The FAA has been grappling with a shortage of certified air traffic controllers, with the New York Area Terminal Radar Approach Control currently operating at only 57% of its targeted staffing levels. This shortage has resulted in mandatory overtime and extended workweeks for controllers.

In response to these ongoing challenges, the FAA has extended flight limits at Newark through the summer of 2027 and at JFK and LaGuardia through late October 2028. Additionally, relief from minimum flight requirements at JFK, LaGuardia, and Reagan Washington National Airport has been extended through late 2027. Significant flight cuts previously imposed at Newark in May 2025 have also been extended through October 2027, with the FAA acknowledging that staffing at Newark is unlikely to significantly improve before that date.