Denver air traffic controllers report staffing shortages, flight delays possible

Denver International Airport air traffic controllers reported staffing shortages were impacting operations Tuesday afternoon and may cause flight delays, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Denver controllers published a notification of “staffing triggers” starting at 1 p.m. and lasting until 5 p.m., FAA officials said in an advisory.  The airport may start a traffic management program, like a ground delay, because of the shortage. Staffing issues did not appear to cause significant delays early Tuesday afternoon, with 100 flights delayed and 1 flight canceled as of 2:30 p.m., according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Related Articles Cracked windshield on United flight from Denver to LA may have been caused by weather balloon Windy day at Denver airport brings more than 600 flight delays DIA passenger growth stalls but airport ranks #1 for U.S. destinations Denver International Airport hit with flight delays due to shortage of air traffic controllers Thunderstorms delay more than 400 flights at DIA DIA and airports across the country have seen flight delays as the federal government shutdown drags into its second month. Air traffic controllers are among the essential government employees working without pay, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy this week said there could be “mass chaos,” including mass flight delays and cancelations, if the shutdown continues. This is a developing story and may be updated. Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.