The United States federal government shutdown is about to enter its third week, and air traffic controllers are facing financial pressure due to a lack of salaries. On Tuesday, October 14th, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) stated that employees have received partial pay, but if the government shutdown continues for another two weeks, they may face the dire situation of not receiving any pay at all.
Starting from October 14th, NATCA members have been distributing flyers at airports in major cities such as New York, Chicago, and the Washington D.C. area, urging the public to pressure Congress to end the government shutdown. They also warned that this action is exacerbating the severe shortage of air traffic controllers nationwide.
As federal employees, air traffic controllers are legally prohibited from going on strike.
NATCA pointed out that during the last shutdown, many controllers had to work additional jobs to pay their bills, leading to physical and mental exhaustion. The shutdown also resulted in interruptions in training, suspension of airworthiness directives, and delays in the maintenance and modernization of the national airspace system.
Air traffic controller Raymond Dahlstrom, outside LaGuardia Airport in New York, expressed, “The job pressure is already immense, and now we have to worry about when the next paycheck will come.”
Currently, approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials must continue working during the government closure without receiving any pay.
Last week, shortages of air traffic controllers led to delays at airports in Tennessee, Nashville, California, Burbank, but most airports still maintain sufficient staffing levels.
The shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States has been ongoing for over a decade; many controllers were already in a mandatory overtime and six-day workweek state before the government shutdown. The Federal Aviation Administration still needs around 3,500 more air traffic controllers to reach its target staffing level.
Travelers interviewed by CBS New York expressed that they have not yet felt significant effects of the shutdown, but some believe it is only a matter of time.
Furthermore, a TSA spokesperson stated that national security screening operations are still ongoing, but if the shutdown prolongs, passengers may face longer wait times.
The Trump administration announced last Friday, October 10th, that it will begin laying off federal employees during the government shutdown period, with 4,000 federal workers expected to be let go, although the Department of Transportation is currently not included.