Airlines Can't Pick Up Their New Planes During The Shutdown

Since the beginning of the government shutdown on October 1, American airlines have been unable to take delivery of their new planes.

That's because the FAA's Aircraft Registry office, which approves certificates of registration for new planes, is closed.

According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), if the registry office is not reopened by mid-October, the deliveries of more than 140 aircraft, worth $1.5 billion, will be delayed.

The office usually registers about 10,000 planes every month, Reuters reports.

The closure "threatens our economic recovery and our ability to provide good, high-paying jobs at a time when the industry is making a comeback," Pete Bunce, president and CEO of the trade group, said in a statement.

According to Reuters, Airbus has not been able to deliver jets to JetBlue and US Airways. The FAA had no information on when the office might reopen.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recalled more than 800 of its workers who oversee major airline safety operations, according to Bloomberg.