Operations at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) returned to normal Sunday evening after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put an air traffic control (ATC) staffing shortage mitigation program into effect. The move delayed several flights and was reportedly implemented without notice, catching the attention of a Texas US representative. The airport suffered from nearly 120 flight impacts on Sunday, but delays reportedly lasted only about half an hour.
Austin is not the only area to have been impacted by ATC staffing issues, as similar complications affected hundreds of flights around the New York metropolitan area last week . “Some arriving flights to be delayed” According to Austin local NBC affiliate KXAN , the delays at Austin–Bergstrom began around 15:30 on Sunday. Simple Flying contacted the FAA for a statement, but did not receive a response.
However, in a statement obtained by KXAN, the agency confirmed that arriving flights were impacted due to a “Traffic Management Program” that had been implemented. “Due to staffing, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, TX (AUS). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 36 minutes.
” Inside the numbers As of late Sunday, FlightAware data showed that 119 flights were impacted – 117 delayed and only two canceled. Southwest Airlines suffered the most, with 60 delays, which accounted for nearly 25% .
