FAA Staffing Shortages And Aer Lingus Strikes Combine: More Half Term Disruption Possible For UK Disney Flights
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Flights landing in Orlando International Airport (MCO), are facing long delays due to an FAA staffing shortage linked to the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. This is especially bad news for Disney visitors departing from Manchester airport this weekend. The Aer Lingus cabin crew strikes have already created pre-holiday stress and chaos for many.
What’s Happening at MCO?
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed widespread flight delays across the U.S. on Thursday 30th October, affecting airports in Washington D.C., Dallas-Forth Worth, and Orlando (MCO).
At MCO, something called a Ground Delay Program is currently in place at Orlando International Airport, limiting arrivals through Thursday evening and into Friday morning. This could have an impact on flights coming in from the UK.
Some flights are now seeing delays of up to six and half hours, though the situation is expected to ease by the time most UK arrivals land in Florida.
The staffing shortages in the US do not stem from strike action like at Manchester Airport. In the US there is currently a lapse in US funding, now in its 30th day, leaving many air traffic controllers and TSA staff working without pay.
Delays are currently being shown as affecting flights landing between 22:00 and 06:59 with the average delay time being shown as 160 minutes. The FAA are showing trending delay times of 77 minutes at the 06:00 to 06:59 time period. Looking at this, it is possible that delays could extend beyond this time.
Why It’s A Concern For UK Travellers
This disruption could easily affect transatlantic routes, especially if you’re flying earlier in the morning. The earlier your flight; the greater the chance of disruption at this time.
The ongoing Aer Lingus strike at Manchester Airport has already affected travellers and led to the Dublin12:25pm flight being cancelled on 30th October 2025. The four other Aer Lingus flights that departed from Manchester on 30th October all left as scheduled with delays of less than an hour.
The two combined aspects could cause more disruption to Disney World holidaymakers departing from Manchester, with the strike impacts combining with potential airspace congestion.
Travellers heading to Walt Disney World, or other US destinations this weekend, should consider:
checking flight status regularly
allow extra connection time if using any internal flights as part of your travel day.
Keep an eye on official FAA and MCO channels for updates.
This situation may continue for some time and could coincide with the further strike action planned for later in the month at Manchester Airport as the US shutdown has yet to find a resolution.
Continuing US Shutdowns
US shutdowns are continuing with no sign of abatement. This means that delays could continue to affect US airports. Speaking outside The White Hose on Thursday, J. D. Vance, Vice President of the United States, said:
"What happens when the security lines are not an hour long but they’re four hours long? What happens when pilots start not showing up for work because they’re so focused on paying the bills, they can’t fly the plane safely? That’s going to lead to massive delays"
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority said that it has contingency plans in place and doesn’t anticipate a full shut down at MCO. But, the situation is subject to change. We’ll be monitoring this closely for UK travellers.
Magic In A Minute
If you’re flying to Orlando this weekend, especially out of Manchester Airport, keep an eye on your flight details as strikes in the UK and US shutdowns combine to cause chaos.