The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued a ground delay for flights departing to DFW International Airport due to staffing issues.
It’s the second time this week that the federal agency, which oversees the country’s airspace safety, has issued a ground delay for the airport because of staffing issues. On Monday, a ground delay snarled flights bound for DFW, delaying flights for an average of 18 minutes.
The FAA said Thursday’s ground delay snarled departures to DFW by an average of 21 minutes. The delay is currently in effect until 9:59 p.m., the FAA said, adding that the maximum delay for flights could be 55 minutes.
As of 4:30 p.m., DFW Airport, which is the central hub of Fort Worth-based American Airlines, had 321 delays and 20 cancellations, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.
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The delay at DFW Airport mirrors similar delays other major U.S. airports have faced in the wake of the ongoing government shutdown, which hit its 30th day on Thursday. The Associated Press reported earlier this month that the FAA slowed takeoffs to Dallas due to staffing shortages and faced staffing shortages at an air traffic control center in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Dallas Love Field, the headquarters of Southwest Airlines, did not appear to have impacted operations Monday afternoon. As of 4:30 p.m., Love Field had 71 delays and four cancellations, according to FlightAware data.