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US air traffic controllers are increasingly seeking second jobs and calling in sick, as they remain on duty unpaid during the federal closure, the transportation secretary has stated.

"These professionals are wearing thin," the official told a news outlet on Sunday, as some flights were grounded on the California shoreline due to staffing shortages.

Following the federal closure on 1 October, flight controllers, who are considered critical staff, were told to continue performing their duties uncompensated.

But a number have been absent, leading airports to stop or slow their flight operations, which has exacerbated setbacks caused by climate and additional factors.

More than three thousand US flights were postponed on the weekend, and Duffy stated he anticipates the circumstances to grow worse.

"I am seeing the pressure," he remarked in an interview on a weekend program, adding that he had met with several controllers to hear their worries directly.

"They are pursuing side jobs, they're out there searching, 'Can I drive Uber, can I secure another source of earnings to make ends meet?'" he added.

Duffy added that on the previous day 22 alerts at airports indicated flights would be delayed due to a shortage of workers - among the peak since the shutdown began.

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

He has consistently cautioned that flight authorities would slow down the number of aircraft in the air if there is a shortage of safety personnel.

In his conversation, he would not answer directly when asked if it was secure to travel by air in the US, and instead issued a personal plea to the professionals.

"I require my staff focused on the flight paths, not on the monetary matters at home," the official said.

On that day, some planes were grounded at Los Angeles International Airport due to staffing shortages, causing disruption at the fifth-busiest airport in the country and among the most crowded in the globe, as well as other flights extending upward to the metropolis of Oakland.

The FAA notice was issued at 08:45 in the morning on Sunday. Many flights were operating normally by midday.

Travel at Newark Liberty International Airport, however, were delayed an mean of 82 minutes due to personnel issues, and the authority said DFW, the second most active airport in the country, could encounter difficulties from reduced staff later in the day.

The agency advised travelers in the state to check with carriers about updated flight schedules.

The situation comes ahead of Game 3 of the World Series, which is due to be played in LA on Monday night, and about one month prior to the Thanksgiving break, among the peak periods to travel by air in the United States.

Pressure on US air travel helped end a government shutdown in two thousand nineteen. At the time, the shutdown had entered its fifth week and affected airline operations, including pilot training.

It led a number of flight controllers to stay home on the identical date on 25 January 2019, briefly halting travel at New York's LaGuardia airport.

On that date, Donald Trump, who at the period was in his initial presidency as leader, consented to approve a temporary funding measure, bringing an end to the government shutdown after thirty-five days.