JFK grounds all planes as high winds and shutdown cause delays

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York is among several airports nationwide grappling with significant ground delays. These disruptions are primarily due to strong winds exacerbating staffing shortages linked to the ongoing government shutdown.

According to the city’s emergency management office, JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty airports are all currently experiencing traffic restrictions.

JFK Airport is under a complete ground stop until at least 11:59 p.m. ET because of insufficient staffing, with additional delays exceeding one hour attributed to inclement weather conditions.

Newark Liberty International Airport is encountering arrival delays of up to three hours, while LaGuardia is facing delays exceeding two hours, plus an additional 15-minute delay for departures.

“More restrictions may be implemented if conditions deteriorate further. Travelers should anticipate widespread delays and are advised to check with their airlines for the most current flight information,” the city’s statement advised.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory effective until midnight, with all three airports contending with wind gusts reaching up to 45 miles per hour, as reported by The New York Post.

Travelers across the United States are in for a fright this Halloween, as thousands of flights are expected to be delayed due to severe weather and staffing shortages resulting from the government shutdown.

Ground delays were issued across Orlando MCO, Austin-Bergstrom Airport and Nashville International Airport due to an air traffic control staffing shortage.

New York's John F Kennedy Airport is several across the country in facing massive ground delays, with alarming winds compounding the staffing crises forced by the government shutdown

New York’s John F Kennedy Airport is several across the country in facing massive ground delays, with alarming winds compounding the staffing crises forced by the government shutdown

The city's emergency management office wrote that JFK Airport - as well as LaGuardia and Newark Liberty - are all under traffic restrictions

The city’s emergency management office wrote that JFK Airport – as well as LaGuardia and Newark Liberty – are all under traffic restrictions

As of 8pm ET, 5,293 flights within, into or out of the United States have been delayed and 473 have been canceled, according to data from Flight Aware. Delays and cancellations are steadily rising by the minute.

On Thursday, 7,250 flights were delayed and 1,249 were canceled across the country.

Thousands of passengers were left stranded in Orlando last night after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced there would be ‘no certified controllers for a period of time’, which would ‘prevent landings’ at Orlando Airport, the closest major airport to both Disney World and Universal Studios.

Staffing shortages have been growing since the government shutdown began on October 1. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay. 

The US government shutdown barreled towards its second month Friday and the pain is spreading fast — with federal workers broke, food aid under threat and millions of Americans caught in the crossfire.

Trump, whose shadow hangs over every Republican move, on Friday called on Congressional Republicans to deploy the ‘nuclear option’ of ending the filibuster to bring the government shutdown to an end.

Trump claimed that during his meetings with world leaders in Asia ‘the one question that kept coming up… was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?’

The alleged query from world leaders apparently gave the president some pause.  

‘The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?’ he said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social page Thursday night. 

He then claimed that Democrats are ‘Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY’ since they’ve lost all power in Washington D.C.

‘It is a sick form of the now “legendary” Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that only comes from losing too much,’ Trump wrote.

‘They want Trillions of Dollars to be taken from our Healthcare System and given to others who are not deserving – People who have come into our Country illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions,’ the president claimed.

‘That will hurt American citizens and Republicans will not let it happen.

‘It is now time for Republicans to play their “TRUMP CARD” and go for what is called the Nuclear Option – get rid of the filibuster and get rid of it NOW!’ 

He repeated his pledge to sit down with Democrats over their demands — but only after the shutdown is over.

“We’ll meet very quickly, but they have to open up the country,” he told reporters. “It’s their fault. Everything is their fault. It’s so easily solved.”

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