Flyers face fresh travel hell as government shutdown delays worsen and 2 NYC airports are hardest hit

Americans are facing terrible air travel delays on Sunday after the government shutdown entered its 40th day — with LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports among the hardest hit.About 5,700 US flights were delayed on Sunday, with 1,857 cancellations, according to the FlightAware online tracking site.LaGuardia led the outgoing delays with 252 flights being rescheduled, about 47% of total flights, the highest percentage in the nation.Newark Liberty saw 224 departing flights delayed, more than one-third.The average delay at Newark and LGA was about two hours and 15 minutes, the delay at JFK International Airport was 15 minutes.All three airports cited FAA staffing issues due to the shutdown as the reason for the delays.The delays at Newark come after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a ground delay due to the staffing shortages — a problem that has plagued the United Airlines hub since the summer.The arrival rate was restricted to about 20 to 34 flights per hour, with the average delay at the airport now hitting 134 minus, according to the FAA.  The Newark delay order will stay in place until after midnight, but it may remain in place if the staffing levels don’t improve, the agency warned.  Meanwhile, at LaGuardia, the average delays sky-rocketed Sunday afternoon, the FAA added. In terms of sheer numbers, Chicago’s O’Hare International airport saw the largest volume of delays, with 404 flights rescheduled.  Sunday marks the third day of the FAA’s air traffic staffing reductions, where the agency has been forced to shed 10% of its workers across 40 high-volume airports due to the government shutdown. Air-traffic controllers had already been forced to work without pay since Oct.1 because of the shutdown, with many having to work side gigs or use up sick days to make ends meet.The major delays are expected to continue and will likely cause a “substantial” number of Americans to miss Thanksgiving with their ...