Flight delays spike over 6,000 on Thursday as government shutdown cripples air traffic nationwide

The ongoing government shutdown continues to disrupt flights at times and put pressure on air traffic controllers who are working without pay.

On Friday evening, airports in Phoenix, Houston and San Diego were reporting delays because of staffing issues, and the Federal Aviation Administration warned that staffing problems were also possible at airports in the New York area, Dallas and Philadelphia.

A day earlier, flights were delayed at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, New Jersey’s...