Flight Delays and Disruptions - FAA announces potential flight impacts due to staffing issues [1] - Newark and Denver are experiencing delays, with potential issues in Burbank and Phoenix [3] - Denver delays are at 40 minutes and Newark delays are at 53 minutes, with numbers rising [5] - Newark already had significant staffing problems pre-shutdown [6] Shutdown Impact - Transportation Secretary reported a slight increase in sick calls since the government shutdown [1] - Previous shutdown was stopped due to New York air traffic control issues [3] - Burbank was anticipating an ATC zero condition (no traffic in or out), but that has been taken down [3] Contingency Plans - Burbank may hand traffic over to controllers in San Diego [6] - Passengers flying out of Burbank should check with their airline for on-time flight status [6]

Core Points - The Trump administration has dropped a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines regarding chronic flight delays, which was originally initiated by the Biden administration's Department of Transportation (DOT) [1][6][9] - Southwest Airlines expressed appreciation for the DOT's decision to abandon the lawsuit, asserting that it was the correct outcome [2] - The lawsuit accused Southwest of operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passenger travel, particularly focusing on two flights during the COVID-19 pandemic [2][5] Summary by Sections Lawsuit Background - The lawsuit was filed in January during the final days of the Biden administration, claiming that Southwest Airlines was operating flights that were chronically delayed [2][5] - The two specific flights involved were between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, and another between Baltimore and Cleveland, affecting 180 passengers from April to August 2022 [5] Airline's Response - A Southwest spokesperson stated that the delays were due to unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and were often outside of the airline's control [3][4] - The spokesperson highlighted that since the pandemic, Southwest has made significant investments to improve operational reliability, aiming to provide best-in-class service [4] Department of Transportation's Position - The DOT has indicated that the lawsuit "should have never been brought forward" and acknowledged that Southwest has addressed the underlying issues [8] - The DOT emphasized the need for airlines to provide accurate departure and arrival times, which was part of the complaint against Southwest [7]