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American flight controllers are more and more looking for second jobs and reporting ill, as they remain on duty unpaid during the government shutdown, the transport chief has stated.

"The controllers are wearing thin," the official informed Fox News on Sunday, as certain aircraft were halted on the California shoreline due to personnel deficits.

Following the federal closure on October 1st, air traffic controllers, who are considered essential workers, were instructed to continue performing their duties without pay.

But a number have been absent, causing terminals to halt or reduce their flight operations, which has exacerbated setbacks due to climate and additional factors.

More than 3,000 US flights were delayed on Sunday, and the secretary stated he anticipates the circumstances to grow worse.

"I am seeing the stress," he remarked in an interview on Sunday Morning Futures, adding that he had spoken to multiple professionals to listen to their concerns directly.

"They are pursuing second jobs, they're out there searching, 'Can I work for Uber, can I find another source of income to cover expenses?'" he added.

Duffy further mentioned that on Saturday 22 alerts at airfields indicated flights would be delayed due to a lack of employees - one of the highest after the closure began.

The US government shutdown reached its 26th day on the weekend, making it the second most extended shutdown in history.

He has consistently cautioned that aviation regulators would slow down the number of aircraft in the sky if there is a shortage of security staff.

In his interview, he would not answer directly when asked if it was secure to fly in the US, and instead issued a personal plea to controllers.

"I require my controllers concentrating on the flight paths, not on the monetary matters at home," Duffy stated.

On Sunday, certain flights were grounded at LAX due to employee deficits, causing disruption at the fifth-busiest terminal in the country and among the most crowded in the world, as well as other flights extending north to the metropolis of Oakland.

The FAA notice was issued at 08:45 local time on the weekend. Many flights were back on schedule before noon.

Travel at Newark Liberty International Airport, however, were postponed an mean of 82 minutes due to staffing shortages, and the FAA said Dallas Fort-Worth, the second-busiest airfield in the country, could experience difficulties from low staffing later in the day.

The FAA advised passengers in California to check with airlines about revised flight schedules.

The situation comes ahead of the third match of the championship, which is due to be played in LA on Monday night, and about one month before the Thanksgiving break, among the peak periods to travel by air in the US.

Pressure on US air travel contributed to ending a government shutdown in 2019. Back then, the halt had reached its fifth week and disrupted airline operations, including pilot training.

It prompted a number of flight controllers to stay home on the identical date on 25 January 2019, temporarily stopping movement at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

That same day, Donald Trump, who at the time was in his first term as leader, agreed to sign a temporary funding measure, bringing an end to the federal closure after 35 days.