**Update Wednesday 1:49am**
If you're heading to Houston’s Bush Airport this morning, you could be looking at delays, with reports of a possible ground stop after 8 a.m. due to ongoing staffing shortages linked to the federal government shutdown. Similar issues briefly halted flights Tuesday at both Bush and Hobby airports. Federal aviation unions warn delays could worsen if the shutdown continues and employees remain unpaid.
Plane takeoffs were halted out of Houston's Hobby and Bush Intercontinental airports temporarily on Tuesday afternoon.
The Federal Aviation Administration says a staffing problem caused the agency to call off departures in what's called a "ground stop," from Hobby Airport between 4:40 and 5:30 pm, and at Bush Intercontinental between 4:00 and 6:30 pm.
This is expected to cause delays in a number of flights both locally and nationwide.
The FAA hasn't provided details of the "staffing problem."
A "ground stop" means a large number of planes, perhaps all planes, are temporarily grounded as a problem is worked out.