Brace for turbulence, folks—New York City’s major airports are in chaos as ferocious winds have grounded planes at John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark hubs, as New York Post reports.
On October 31, 2025, all three key airports faced complete ground stops due to powerful gusts and staffing shortages tied to a 31-day government shutdown, creating a perfect storm of travel nightmares for passengers.
The trouble kicked off as the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all planes at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark to remain grounded on October 31, 2025, citing dangerous wind conditions sweeping through the metro area.
At JFK in Queens, flights are being held at their origin points, with a ground stop enforced until 7:30 p.m. on October 31, 2025, due to both the gales and understaffing, leaving 36 planes stuck per hour.
Travelers at JFK are enduring average ground delays of one hour, a frustrating wait compounded by the broader crisis impacting air traffic control.
Over at LaGuardia, the situation is even grimmer, with delays averaging two hours and some unfortunate souls facing waits of up to five hours on October 31, 2025.
Newark Airport isn’t spared either, grappling with delays reaching up to one hour and 40 minutes as the same brutal weather batters the region on October 31, 2025.
According to Fox Weather, all three airports clocked wind gusts hitting 45 miles per hour, a force strong enough to disrupt even the best-laid travel plans on that day.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory lasting until midnight on October 31, 2025, signaling that relief might not come quickly for stranded passengers.
Officials have cautioned that these harsh conditions could trigger even more delays, urging travelers to stay in touch with their airlines for the latest updates on October 31, 2025.
The city’s Emergency Management Office chimed in, stating, “Travelers should expect widespread ripple delays and check with their airline for the latest flight status.” While that’s sound advice, one can’t help but wonder if a bit more urgency from bureaucrats could have mitigated this mess before it spiraled.
Adding insult to injury, the fierce winds are amplifying existing problems caused by staffing shortages at airports and air traffic control centers, a direct fallout from the ongoing 31-day government shutdown as of October 31, 2025.
This shutdown, stretching over a month, has left critical operations understaffed, turning a tough weather event into a full-blown crisis for air travel in the Big Apple.
While some might blame Mother Nature alone, let’s not ignore how government gridlock—often fueled by endless political posturing over progressive priorities—has left our infrastructure vulnerable at the worst possible moment. It’s a stark reminder that practical governance, not ideological squabbles, keeps planes in the air and Americans moving.
