Airline passengers are furious after government shutdown sparks hundreds of flight delays

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The delays come as the federal government shutdown, the longest in US history, has reached its 35th day.

• The federal government shutdown has resulted in delays at major US airports due to a shortage of air-traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
• The shortages have affected travelers coming to or from Atlanta, New York City, and Philadelphia.
• Twitter users have expressed frustration at Friday's delays and the ongoing shutdown.

The federal government shutdown has resulted in delays at major US airports due to a shortage of air-traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The shortages have affected travelers coming to or from Atlanta, New York City, Philadelphia, and D.C.

Read more: Hundreds of flights delayed at major airports in New York and Atlanta as the longest government shutdown in history leads to air-traffic-control staffing shortages

The FAA said in a statement that there is a "slight increase" in the number of workers calling out sick at two facilities: Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center, in Leesburg, Virginia, and Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center in Hillard, Florida. The facilities are responsible for coordinating air traffic along much of the East Coast.

"We are mitigating the impact by augmenting staffing, rerouting traffic, and increasing spacing between aircraft when needed," the agency said.

The delays come as the federal government shutdown, the longest in US history, has reached its 35th day. Over 800,000 federal workers missed their second consecutive paycheck on Friday, though some employees that perform what are classified as essential functions, like managing air traffic and performing security checks at airports, have been required to work without pay during the shutdown. 

Twitter users have expressed frustration at Friday's delays and the ongoing shutdown. Here's what they're saying.

• Read more about the federal government shutdown:
• There are no NTSB investigators to look into plane crashes and highway accidents because they've been sent home during the government shutdown
• TSA workers are reportedly living in their cars and not taking medicine because they can't afford it
• Unpaid TSA workers are 'trying not to panic' as bills stack up
• Delta can't put its new Airbus jets into service because FAA inspectors have been sent home during the government shutdown