Business
U.S. Air Travel in Crisis as 13,000 Air Traffic Controllers Work Without Pay Amid Government Shutdown
U.S. Air Travel in Crisis as 13,000 Air Traffic Controllers Work Without Pay Amid Government Shutdown
The United States is facing a deepening aviation crisis as nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers continue to work without pay for over a month due to the prolonged federal government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said.
The shutdown, now entering its second month, has caused severe disruptions across the country’s air transport system, grounding hundreds of flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
On Sunday morning, the FAA issued a ground stop at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of New York’s busiest air hubs, with average delays stretching beyond three hours.
Officials warned that disruptions could last into Monday as staff shortages cripple flight operations.
At least half of America’s 30 major airports are grappling with critical manpower shortages. The U.S. Transport Secretary, Sean Duffy, confirmed that more flight cancellations are imminent to “ensure public safety.”
“Flights will be cancelled across national airspace to make sure people are safe,” Duffy said during a television interview on Sunday.
Air traffic controllers, like other essential federal workers, have been compelled to remain on duty despite not receiving pay.
They are among thousands affected by the funding deadlock between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democratic-led Senate.
The FAA, in a statement, appealed to lawmakers to end the shutdown and allow workers to receive their wages, warning that the current situation could trigger further operational breakdowns.
“The shortage means we have had to reduce the flow of air traffic to maintain safety,” the agency stated. “This may result in delays or cancellations.”
According to flight-tracking platform FlightAware, nearly 4,500 flights across the U.S. were delayed and more than 500 cancelled on Saturday alone.
In New York, the nation’s busiest airspace, about 80% of air traffic controllers were absent heading into the weekend, the FAA said.
The resulting gridlock has left airlines scrambling to manage schedules and passengers stranded in terminals.
Secretary Duffy acknowledged the growing strain on aviation workers, noting that many controllers were under “a great deal of stress” as they try to balance their duties and family responsibilities without pay.
“They don’t make a lot of money,” he said.
“Some of them are the only breadwinners in their households. They’re being forced to choose between going to work without a paycheque or finding side jobs just to put food on the table.”
The shutdown stems from a budget impasse in Washington.
A Republican-backed funding bill has failed more than a dozen times to pass the Senate, while Democrats have insisted on conditions to protect social welfare programmes.
They are demanding an extension of health insurance tax credits and a reversal of President Donald Trump’s cuts to Medicaid, which supports millions of low-income, elderly, and disabled Americans.
Meanwhile, Trump has accused Democrats of “holding the government hostage for political gain,” while opposition lawmakers blame the administration’s intransigence for the crisis affecting federal workers and public services.
As the shutdown drags on, pressure is mounting on both sides of the political divide to reach a compromise.
Labour unions and aviation experts have warned that prolonged staff shortages could compromise safety and lead to a cascading effect on the global aviation network.
For now, the FAA insists it will maintain operations under reduced capacity — but warns that the situation is unsustainable.
“The safety of the travelling public remains our top priority,” the agency said. “But our workforce must be supported. America’s airspace cannot run on goodwill forever.”
RWE abandons US offshore wind projects in $1.2bn Trump deal
German energy giant RWE has agreed to abandon its offshore wind projects in the United States under a $1.2bn deal with the administration of President Donald Trump, in another major setback for the country’s offshore wind industry.
Under the agreement, RWE will relinquish its offshore wind leases off California and Louisiana, as well as in the New York Bight, an area between New York and New Jersey that has been regarded as one of the most promising locations for offshore wind development in the United States.
The company said there was no foreseeable path to securing permits for the projects under the current regulatory environment.
RWE said it would redirect its investment towards conventional energy projects, including about $900m for a liquefied natural gas export terminal in Louisiana.
The agreement is the latest in a series of deals under the Trump administration aimed at ending or restructuring offshore wind projects in the United States.
The development reflects a dramatic shift in American energy policy since Trump returned to the White House, with the administration placing greater emphasis on oil and gas production while challenging the expansion of renewable energy.
Trump has repeatedly criticised wind energy and has made increased domestic fossil-fuel production a major part of his energy policy.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum welcomed the RWE agreement, saying the administration was pursuing an energy system based on what he described as economic practicality rather than dependence on subsidies.
RWE, however, stressed that the agreement did not represent a withdrawal from the American energy market.
The company plans to invest about €17bn over the next six years to expand its power-generation capacity in the United States.
The latest agreement therefore represents a strategic adjustment rather than a complete retreat from the American market, with RWE shifting its investment towards areas it believes can operate under the current policy environment.
In March 2026, the Department of the Interior reached an agreement with French energy company TotalEnergies that resulted in the termination of its offshore wind projects, with the company redirecting investment towards an LNG facility in Texas and conventional oil activities in the Gulf of Mexico.
The administration also reached a $129m agreement with Duke Energy last month that resulted in the termination of the company’s offshore wind lease in the Carolina Long Bay area.
The RWE agreement is therefore part of a broader policy pattern rather than an isolated corporate decision.
The administration has argued that offshore wind projects depend excessively on government support and can impose higher costs on consumers.
Rubio vows US will keep protecting Gulf shipping, says diplomacy with Iran still possible
By Boniface Ihiasota, Washington DC
United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Wednesday said Washington would continue military operations to safeguard international shipping routes from Iranian attacks while insisting that the U.S. remained open to a diplomatic resolution of the crisis.
Rubio, who spoke to journalists in Manila, accused Iran of undermining previous commitments by continuing attacks on commercial vessels transiting a key international waterway.
He said Tehran had failed to uphold an earlier understanding that called for unrestricted maritime navigation, arguing that the latest attacks demonstrated Iran was “not serious” about diplomacy.
“We remain open to diplomacy. We remain open to working it out in a negotiated way. But right now, they don’t seem to be serious about that,” Rubio said.
According to him, the U.S. military would continue targeting sites allegedly used to launch attacks against commercial shipping while protecting vessels passing through the strategic maritime corridor.
“Ships are trying to go through the straits, and they’re getting blown up. The United States is defending that shipping and degrading Iran’s ability to target global shipping,” he said.
Rubio also rejected suggestions that Washington’s objective was to force Iran into submission, arguing instead that the U.S. was determined to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
He claimed Iran had spent decades investing heavily in missiles, drones and proxy groups instead of addressing domestic economic challenges, including soaring inflation and rising food prices.
The U.S. Secretary of State urged more countries to join efforts to secure international shipping lanes, saying many nations depended more heavily on the affected maritime route than the United States.
Although Washington had not made fresh requests during meetings with Asian allies in Manila, Rubio disclosed that previous discussions had explored possible contributions, including naval mine-clearing capabilities.
He maintained that the U.S. would prefer a negotiated settlement but insisted that freedom of navigation could not be compromised.
Rubio also confirmed he would meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the war in Ukraine, saying Washington remained willing to play a constructive role in efforts to end the conflict while pursuing cooperation with Moscow on other strategic issues.
Marketers Import Dangote-Refined Fuel Through Togo Hub
Nigerian fuel marketers are increasingly importing refined petroleum products produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery through an offshore trading hub in Lomé, Togo, in a development that underscores the refinery’s growing influence on fuel supply across West Africa.
The disclosure was made by Matthew Tracey-Cook of S&P Global during a webinar organised by the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria.
The webinar, themed “West Africa Pricing and Flows in the Context of the War,” examined evolving fuel supply chains and pricing trends within the region.
Speaking during the session, Tracey-Cook said refined products from the Dangote Refinery are being exported on a coastal basis to Lomé before being re-imported into Nigeria by fuel marketers.
According to him, the trend reflects the increasingly interconnected relationship between the Lagos-based refinery and the offshore ship-to-ship trading hub in Togo.
He noted that despite Dangote’s growing capacity to supply the domestic market directly, some marketers continue to source products through Lomé, a development that may be linked to pricing differences between local and international markets.
Tracey-Cook, however, stressed that the Togolese hub remains a strategic logistics centre for fuel distribution across West Africa.
According to him, the facility continues to handle significant fuel volumes and remains slightly larger than it was in 2024.
He added that volumes transacted through Lomé surged in certain periods, particularly in November and December 2025, surpassing volumes recorded on several other regional supply routes.
The S&P Global official explained that the hub plays a vital role in regional fuel distribution by receiving large medium-range tankers and transferring cargoes to smaller vessels capable of accessing ports with limited infrastructure.
Our Tinubu Has Run Away Again?
CARICOM begins consultations on regional biodiversity strategy
On The Sharafadeen Alli Lap Controversy, by Boniface Ihiasota
Pastor Jerry Eze Defends Miracles At UK Conference Amidst Criticism And Controversy
Diaspora Watch 20th Edition (October 14-20, 2024): Your Trusted Source for Global News and Insights
Tanzanian Man Reportedly Dies And Returns To Life Six Times
-
News3 days agoOur Tinubu Has Run Away Again?
-
News3 days agoRuto orders foreign traders out of Kenya’s small businesses
-
News3 days ago83 feared dead as boat drifts for 27 days on Atlantic
-
Analysis3 days agoOn The Sharafadeen Alli Lap Controversy, by Boniface Ihiasota
-
News3 days agoCARICOM begins consultations on regional biodiversity strategy
-
News3 days agoNepal flood: Two rescued after nine days trapped in hydropower tunnel