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US air traffic controllers are increasingly seeking second jobs and calling in sick, as they continue to work without pay during the federal closure, the transportation secretary has stated.

"The controllers are becoming strained," the official told a news outlet on the weekend, as certain aircraft were grounded on the California shoreline due to personnel deficits.

After the government shut down on 1 October, air traffic controllers, who are considered critical staff, were told to continue performing their duties uncompensated.

But some have been absent, causing terminals to halt or reduce their flight operations, which has exacerbated setbacks caused by climate and additional factors.

More than 3,000 American flights were delayed on Sunday, and Duffy said he expects the situation to deteriorate further.

"I am seeing the pressure," Duffy said in an discussion on a weekend program, adding that he had met with multiple professionals to listen to their concerns firsthand.

"They are pursuing side jobs, they're out there looking, 'Should I work for Uber, can I find an alternative of income to cover expenses?'" he added.

The secretary further mentioned that on Saturday twenty-two notifications at airfields said flights would be delayed due to a lack of workers - among the peak since the closure began.

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

He has repeatedly warned that flight authorities would slow down the number of aircraft in the sky if there is a shortage of security staff.

In his interview, he would not answer directly when asked if it was secure to fly in the United States, and instead made a direct appeal to the professionals.

"I require my staff concentrating on the flight paths, not on the finances at home," Duffy said.

On that day, some planes were grounded at LAX due to staffing shortages, causing disruption at the fifth most active terminal in the nation and one of the busiest in the globe, as well as additional travel stretching upward to the metropolis of Oakland, California.

The FAA notice was issued at 08:45 local time on Sunday. Many flights were back on schedule by midday.

Travel at Newark Liberty International Airport, though, were delayed an mean of over an hour due to staffing shortages, and the authority indicated DFW, the second most active airport in the US, could experience difficulties from low staffing later in the day.

The FAA advised passengers in the state to consult carriers about revised departure times.

The issue precedes the third match of the World Series, which is due to be played in LA on Monday night, and about one month before the Thanksgiving break, among the peak times to fly in the United States.

Strain on US air travel contributed to ending a government shutdown in 2019. At the time, the halt had reached its fifth week and affected flight services, including pilot training.

It prompted several air traffic controllers to remain absent on the same day on January 25, 2019, briefly halting travel at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

That same day, the former president, who at the period was in his first term as president, agreed to sign a short-term spending bill, effectively ending the federal closure after thirty-five days.