New Delhi, Nov. 1 -- Flight delays and cancellations are likely across nation in the coming days as nearly half of America's busiest airports face staff shortage due to the government shutdown which entered Day 32 today on November 1. As many as 750,000 federal workers have been temporarily suspended from their jobs on account of the government shutdown, while hundreds of thousands have been working without any pay; many have even taken up second jobs to survive the shutdown.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday, October 31, that nearly 50 per cent of the 30 busiest US airports faced shortages of air traffic controllers. This has resulted in flight delays nationwide.

In New York, 80 per cent of air traffic controller...