Travel

WASHINGTON — The government shutdown is entering its 10th day, with both Republicans and Democrats dug in and refusing to give any ground to their political foes.But the coming days and weeks will bring some key pressure points that could potentially end the partisan impasse.Until now, the impacts of the shutdown have been fairly muted, with Smithsonian museums shuttered and some government services interrupted. But Friday, hundreds of thousands of civilian federal workers will get their first paycheck since the shutdown began, reflecting zero pay for October. On Wednesday, service members will see the same.With air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents not getting paid, staffing shortages will likely grow worse, exacerbating flight delays and cancellatio...

Flight delays are expected across the country for a third straight day on Wednesday as the Federal Aviation Administration braced for more airport staffing shortages amid the ongoing government shutdown.Within the last 48 hours, delays due to air traffic controller staffing shortages were reported at airports in Boston; Burbank, California; Chicago; Denver; Houston; Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia; and Phoenix, according to the FAA.This week’s staffing shortages began on Monday, when air traffic controllers started working without pay due to the shutdown. The federal agency said Wednesday morning that it expects staffing triggers at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the three major airports in the New York City metropolitan area. The trigger ...

WASHINGTON — Federal funding for air travel in rural areas will run out Sunday if the government shutdown continues, threatening to isolate remote communities across the country.The Essential Air Service (EAS), established in 1978, provides funds to airline carriers to operate out of rural airports for routes that would otherwise be unprofitable. The program is a lifeline for remote communities because it connects them to cities with larger airports, ensuring access to medical treatments, work opportunities and commercial goods that would otherwise be a lengthy travel away. “Money runs out this Sunday. So there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their community,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy...

"Now what they think about as they’re controlling our airspace is, ‘How am I going to pay my mortgage? How do I make my car payment? I have a couple kids at home, how do I put food on the table?'" Duffy continued. "'I’m working six days a week, so I have to take a second job and drive Uber when I’m already exhausted from doing a job that’s already stressful, to think about how I can make extra money because the government may not provide me a paycheck?'"Speaking at the same press conference, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association Union President Nick Daniels also called for an end to the shutdown. "We do not have the luxury of time," he said. "We do not have time to waste on the unnecessary distractions created by this shutdown.""Our message is clear: end the shutdown," he add...

The Federal Aviation Administration was experiencing staffing issues or anticipating shortages at airports and other air traffic control facilities in the United States on Monday night. Reports of the staffing shortfalls came hours after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that there has been a slight increase in sick calls since the government shutdown began on Wednesday.There were no air traffic controllers expected at the tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area for an hours-long stretch Monday night because of staffing issues, a source familiar with the situation said.The Federal Aviation Administration’s website showed the staffing issue between 4 p.m. and 9:59 p.m. PT (7 pm. Monday to 12:59 a.m. Tuesday ET).The source told NBC News that some air traffic wil...

Two regional jets clipped each other on the ground at LaGuardia Airport in New York on Wednesday night, officials said, in the latest incident involving close calls or collisions of passenger aircraft this year.There was one minor injury reported after the planes, both Delta Connection flights operated by Delta-owned Endeavor Air, came into contact around 9:58 p.m., Delta Air Lines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.One of the planes was taxiing to depart for Roanoke, Virginia, and the other had landed from Charlotte, North Carolina, and was taxiing to its arrival gate when the collision occurred, Delta said.Preliminary information is that the wing of the plane that was to depart made contact with the fuselage of the plane taxiing to the arrival gate, it said.“Delta ...

All United Airlines flights were grounded nationally this morning due to a "connectivity issue" before the ground stop was lifted 30 minutes later.The Federal Aviation Administration issued the stop at the company's request across the U.S. and Canada between 1 a.m. ET and 2:30 a.m. ET — but it was then canceled at 1:30 a.m.The reason given by the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) was simply "COMPANY REQUEST / TECHNOLOGY."The airline told NBC News in an emailed comment: "United experienced a brief connectivity issue just before midnight Central time on Tuesday, but has since resumed normal operations."FlightAware's "Misery Map" showing delays across the country showed 42 delays and 4 cancelations between 12 a.m. ET and 4 a.m. with LAX the worst effected.The airline had a...

BRUSSELS — A cyberattack targeting a service provider for check-in and boarding systems has disrupted operations at several major European airports including London’s Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin, causing flight delays and cancellations, the operators said.The attack has rendered automated systems inoperable, allowing only manual check-in and boarding procedures, according to Brussels Airport.“This has a large impact on the flight schedule and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations of flights,” the operator said in a statement published on its website.“The service provider is actively working on the issue and trying to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.”Heathrow also warned of delays caused by “a technical issue” at a third-party supplier.Passengers with a flight sc...

DALLAS — Hundreds of flights in and out of Dallas were delayed or canceled Friday as telecommunications equipment issues disrupted one of the nation’s busiest airports, federal officials saidThe Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport because of a “reported local telephone company equipment issue.” The same problems were also impacting Dallas Love Field, according to the agency, which said the issue did not involve FAA equipment.The FAA expects the delays to continue well into Friday night.According to FlightAware, as of late Friday afternoon, nearly 700 flights in and out of D/FW Airport were delayed while about 200 were canceled. About 160 flights were delayed in and out of Love Field while one flight was canceled.A spokes...

The Federal Aviation Administration is instructing airlines to re-evaluate emergency evacuation procedures, including flight crews' training, announcements and commands to passengers, the agency told NBC News on Friday.The FAA said in a statement that the new recommendations are meant to ensure that "passengers understand they must leave carry-on items behind during an emergency evacuation.""Passengers have taken their carry-on items with them on a number of recent evacuations," the FAA said. "This slows the evacuation and puts lives at risk."The new instructions come months after several emergency evacuations where passengers could be seen scrambling off planes with their suitcases.In March, passengers escaped an American Airlines plane after its engine caught fire at Denver Internatio...