Flight delays become more common as air traffic controllers go without pay during shutdown

By JOSH FUNK, AP Transportation Writer

Air traffic controllers will miss their paychecks Tuesday because of the ongoing government shutdown, raising concerns that mounting financial stress could take a toll on the already understaffed employees who guide thousands of flights each day.

Flight delays are becoming more common across the country as more controllers call out sick because the Federal Aviation Administration was already so short on controllers before the shutdown.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association Nick Daniels have continued to emphasize the pressure that controllers are feeling. They say the problems are likely to only get worse the longer the shutdown continues.

Not only are controllers worrying ab