DENVER — On Tuesday, Denver International Airport took to its Twitter page to warn travelers of flight delays due to staffing within air traffic control.
The airport said the delays were averaging around 20 minutes and in subsequent tweets, the airport confirmed there was a "COVID-19 related staffing issue" within air traffic control.
DIA Spokeswoman Emily Williams provided this statement to Denver7: "We are aware of COVID-related staffing issues in Denver Air Traffic Control that may cause flight delays and possible cancellations during peak times. Passengers flying into or out of Denver should confirm their flight status directly with their airline before heading to the airport. DEN is prepared to adjust operations to meet passenger needs."
These delays come during the peak of holiday travel at DIA. According to a press release, Dec. 23, Dec. 27 and Jan. 3 will have the highest influx of travelers with more than 39,000 people expected to pass through the airport's TSA checkpoints on each of those days.
Williams said by Tuesday evening, all staffing-related delays were resolved. Through Tuesday night she said that the airport would be closely monitoring weather conditions.
"If the winds do pick up tonight or in the morning more delays are possible," she said. "With high winds or any kind of weather at the airport, we're always paying close attention to that and our goal is to ensure that planes are landing and taking off safely."
