Staffing shortages snarl LAX and San Diego flights

Two of Southern California’s busiest airports saw average delays of at least an hour Sunday as FAA advisories cited air traffic control staffing shortages linked to the federal government shutdown. Delays were expected to persist into the night, reaching nearly 1.5 hours for flights to LAX between 8 and 10 p.m., and about 1 hour 20 minutes at San Diego International between 9 and 10 p.m. The only other ground delay nationwide was for Newark Liberty, where departures faced more than 3.5-hour waits, rising to 4.5 hours from 7 to 8 p.m. Eastern.