United Airlines plane takes off near the air traffic control tower at San Francisco International Airport, with Delta jets parked below and hills in the background.
FILE - In this Oct. 24, 2107 file photo, the air traffic control tower is in sight as a plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco. Aviation-safety officials say a close call last year highlights the need for faster reporting of dangerous incidents before evidence is lost. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a final report Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018 on the July 2017 close call in which an Air Canada jet nearly crashed into planes lined up on the ground at San Francisco International Airport. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

MENDOCINO CO., 10/8/25 (AP) – The federal government shutdown has entered its second week, and already shortages of air traffic controllers have strained operations and disrupted flights at some U.S. airports.

Reagan National Airport became the latest this week to report delays because of staffing issues Wednesday. But earlier in the week there were problems at airports in Chicago, Newark, Denver and Nashville, and the tower even had to shut down in Burbank, California.

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