Hundreds of air traffic controllers in the United States are facing increased pressure on the already tense aviation safety system as they continue to work without pay due to the government shutdown.
As the shutdown enters its 28th day, air traffic controllers are taking on second jobs to make ends meet, including working as waiters, delivering food for DoorDash, driving for Uber, doing grocery shopping for Instacart, and tutoring on weekends.
Mike Christine, Vice President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) responsible for the Eastern region, told Reuters, “We are discussing how to obtain interest-free loans with colleagues.” He added that controllers are sharing information on which companies allow delayed payments and who is donating food to workers.
Since the partial government shutdown, about 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers have been required to work without pay.
Air traffic controllers received only partial pay two weeks ago and have seen an increase in sick leave since the shutdown, leading to thousands of flight delays and cancellations each day. The disruption has frustrated the public and heightened scrutiny on the impact of the shutdown, increasing pressure on Congress to resolve the deadlock.
Nick Daniels, President of NATCA, stated at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that as controllers struggle to pay their bills, more people will likely seek second jobs. He later told Reuters at LaGuardia Airport in New York that hundreds, and potentially thousands, of controllers are currently working second jobs.
During the government shutdown, staffing shortages have significantly disrupted the aviation industry. FlightAware data shows nearly 7,000 flight delays on Monday and 8,800 on Sunday. By Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. EST, approximately 3,000 flights had been delayed.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Tuesday that controller absenteeism is a major contributor to the situation. He noted that on Sunday, 44% of flights were delayed due to controller absences, compared to 24% on Monday, significantly higher than the pre-shutdown average of 5%.
(Adapted from Reuters reporting)