Government Shutdown Causing Airport Delays, Does That Include New York?

As of right now the United States Government has been shutdown for a week. It officially closed on October 1, 2025 and as of now there have been no productive talks between democrats and republicans to open things back up again.

Last week we reported that both air traffic controllers and the TSA were deemed essential parts of the government and though they wouldn't be getting paid they would still be required to report to work. Now for multiple days airports across the United States are seeing significant delays due to staff shortage, according to NBC. They report that on Monday there were more that 6,000 flight delays across several airports including Newark, New Jersey.

The Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said they are seeing an increase in sick calls since the shutdown began, and that it is likely taking a toll on air traffic controllers.

I contacted Albany International Airport to see if there were any indications that delays would be happening for the Capital Region locally. If you look at flight status on the airport website it does not appear that there are any delays happening in Albany for either departures or arrivals. I got the following statement from them:

Nearly a week into the government shutdown, there has not been a disruption to travelers here at Albany International Airport (ALB). Air Traffic Control (FAA), passenger and baggage screening (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are all designated essential services and have continued to operate. As I’m sure you know, these employees are not being paid while the shutdown continues.

As always, we are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the traveling public, and we will continue to work closely with our federal partners throughout the shutdown. The airport is also working with these partners and other community stakeholders to make these employees are supported.

Read More: Does NYS Owe You Money? Find Out

The last time the government shutdown for a significant period of time was in 2018 when it lasted nearly a month before sides could agree to reopen things. We hope that a resolution can be found before that for 2025 so that hard working Americans can get back to their lives.