As the U.S. government shutdown extends into its 31st day, nearly half of the nation's busiest airports are experiencing critical shortages of air traffic controllers. This has led to significant flight delays across the country, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed on Friday.

The situation is particularly dire in New York, where 80% of air traffic controllers are absent, resulting in cascading delays at airports in Austin, Newark, and Nashville. The delays average 61 minutes in Nashville, 50 minutes in Austin, and a staggering 101 minutes in Newark.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy anticipates further disruptions, warning of potential delays in the coming days as the temporary funding bill remains stalled in Congress. Airlines are appealing for urgent government intervention,

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