'Unacceptable': Flights were delayed at AUS due to air traffic controller staffing issues.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Flights are no longer delayed at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA told KXAN in a statement earlier Sunday that flights were delayed due to staffing.

This comes after a viewer reached out to us via ReportIt@kxan.com saying there was a delay with flights due to staffing shortages around 3:30 p.m.

"Due to staffing, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, TX (AUS). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 36 minutes," the FAA said in a statement to KXAN.

After The Wall Street Journal first reported understaffing as a persistent problem at airports, KXAN Investigates reported Austin auditors also identified that issue at AUS.

"I think this is a real failure by the Federal Aviation Administrator to address the safety concerns we have here today," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin.

Doggett, who has previously urged the FAA to address staffing issues, said there were supposed to be 13 air traffic controllers on staff on Sunday night. Instead, there were only eight with no supervisors, he said.

"The FAA made this delay in flights departing without even notifying the Austin airport. That is unacceptable, and we have a serious problem here," Doggett said. "This is a really serious matter today. It causes inconvenience. It may mean that people miss their connection, but the bigger problem is the safety problem if we don't have adequate air traffic controllers," he continued.

Doggett said he would continue to put pressure on the FAA until the staffing issues are resolved.

"We need a significant increase in controllers at the airport. Not by this time next year, when we may have had additional near misses or a disaster, but we need it soon. We need it prioritized," Doggett said.

A spokesperson for the Aviation Department said it does have a plan to address job vacancy concerns.

“Due to these challenges, Aviation has become increasingly reliant on third-party contractors to deliver airport services,” the auditors said they learned.

The FAA told KXAN Sunday those who may be affected can check the FAA airport status information, select their departure airport and check "Delays by Destination."