The number of flight delays and cancellations at San Diego International Airport imposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation continued to climb Monday, leaving travelers scrambling or stranded for the fourth day.
On Monday, FlightAware reported 52 cancelled flights in and out of San Diego’s airport. Also factors in the more than 100 delays on Monday were early morning fog and an afternoon ground stop due to too many aircraft, which halted arrivals, according to the FAA. In total, 217 flights were delayed Monday at SAN.
An estimated 80 flights were cancelled out of San Diego International Airport over the weekend, according to FlightAware. Some 10,000 flights nationwide were canceled.
The ongoing chaos of cancellations and flight delays has been exacerbated by staffing issues as some air-traffic controllers skip work since they aren’t being paid during the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Controllers are considered essential workers and have been instructed to continue working despite the shutdown. But after going without paychecks for nearly a month, some have taken second jobs or are calling in sick, compounding existing staffing shortages, National Air Traffic Controllers Association officials told reporters.
Airports in San Diego, Los Angeles and Ontario are among those impacted by the capacity cuts, but airfields not among the 40 on the list could still see ripple-effect impacts on flight operations.
San Diego International Airport is the third busiest airfield in California and 25th in the nation.