A staffing shortage at Los Angeles International Airport prompted a temporary ground stop affecting flights Sunday morning.
The restriction began around 8:45 a.m. affecting departing flights for Oakland and was lifted at 10:30 a.m. with a possibility of being extended until 2 p.m., according to an FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center advisory.
Even after the resumption of flights, travelers were instructed to check the status of their flights.
The stoppage affected most of Southern California, leaving passengers experiencing flight delays of around 49 minutes, with some waiting up to 87 minutes, according to KTLA.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office was quick to seize on news of the problems and goad President Trump’s Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.
“Hell of a job, @SecDuffy,” Newsom’s office posted on X, sharing a news story about the LAX ground stop. “Can’t wait to see what you do with NASA.”
The federal government shutdown, now in its fifth week, has forced air traffic controllers to work without pay.
Hollywood Burbank Airport’s air traffic control tower was temporarily unstaffed due to shortages earlier this month, with outgoing flights delayed an average of two hours and 31 minutes, and 12 flights were canceled.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
