Burbank Airport Left Unstaffed for Hours During Government Shutdown

California Gov. Gavin Newsom Blames Trump After Burbank Airport Staffing Crisis

Air Traffic Control Gap Amid Shutdown

The Hollywood Burbank Airport in Southern California was left without any air traffic controllers for nearly six hours on Monday evening, the latest sign of strain as the ongoing federal government shutdown disrupts operations across the nation.

From 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. local time, no controllers were on duty at the regional airport due to staffing shortages. According to FOX 11 Los Angeles, flight coordination duties were temporarily transferred to Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities (TRACON) in San Diego.

The lack of personnel caused significant flight delays and multiple cancellations. By 5 p.m., the average delay at Burbank Airport had climbed to two and a half hours, according to FAA data cited by the station.

Newsom Points Finger at Trump

California Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media to criticize former President Donald Trump for the disruption.

“Thanks, @realDonaldTrump! Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. today because of YOUR government shutdown,” Newsom posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The governor’s accusation quickly drew pushback from Republicans and federal officials, who argued the blame was misplaced.

GOP Officials Respond

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy dismissed Newsom’s remarks during an appearance on Fox & Friends Tuesday morning. “This guy’s unbelievable,” Duffy said. “Every Republican voted to keep the government open. In fact, in the Senate, it was bipartisan. It was Democrats who voted to shut it down. And Gavin Newsom wants to blame Donald Trump.”

The FAA has not yet commented on the specific situation in Burbank, and the airport itself did not respond to requests for comment from FOX Business.

Rising Stress for Air Traffic Controllers

At a separate press conference Monday in New Jersey, Duffy acknowledged that the shutdown has created severe pressure on air traffic control staff nationwide.

“In a job that’s already stressful, this shutdown has made things much harder,” he said. “We’re seeing more sick calls and absences, and that leads directly to delays.”

He added that flight operations would be slowed as needed to maintain safety. “Our priority is always safety,” Duffy said. “If there are additional sick calls, we’ll reduce the flight flow to a rate that keeps passengers safe.”

Workers Without Pay

The Transportation Secretary also noted that air traffic controllers are considered essential employees, meaning they must continue working even while paychecks are paused.

“They have to show up for work — they’re part of our critical infrastructure,” Duffy said. “The problem is they’re working without pay, and that’s not sustainable.”

Union Calls for Shutdown’s End

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, joined calls for Congress and the White House to resolve the standoff. He emphasized that prolonged funding lapses threaten not only worker morale but also aviation safety across the country.

As the shutdown drags on, airports like Burbank are becoming flashpoints in the broader debate over federal funding, political responsibility, and the toll on critical infrastructure workers keeping America’s skies safe.