The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has warned that flights into New York’s LaGuardia airport have been halted due to a shortage of air traffic control staff caused by the government shutdown.
Since the shutdown began more than four weeks ago, air traffic controls – who are employed by a government agency – have been working without pay to keep the country’s airports running, but some have resigned with no end in sight to the stalemate between president Donald Trump and the Democrats over his proposed wall on the border with Mexico.
Flights into LaGuardia were stopped just before 1000 local time (1500 GMT), just a day after air industry unions warned the government shutdown could pose a public safety risk.
According to US media, several other airports around the country are experiencing delays.
There is no information about whether flights will resume or if the situation will worsen.