As the US Government Shutdown entered its 20th day on Monday 20 October, multiple stakeholders have voiced their support for air traffic controllers across the US, in honour of the International Day of the Air Traffic Controller.
The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations published a statement offering its “unwavering support and solidarity to colleagues of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), who continue to endure the unacceptable impacts of the ongoing US federal government shutdown.”
Around 13,000 controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers must work during the current government shutdown without pay.
In a post on X on Monday 20 October Airbus in the US said that working as an air traffic controller is “a job that requires extraordinary focus, concentration and attention to detail. On this International Day of the Air Traffic Controller, we thank each Air Traffic Controller for their dedication to one of the most critical jobs in aviation safety.
Airport trade body, ACI-North America, also posted to celebrate the professionals keeping the skies safe and efficient. “A special thank-you to those continuing their critical work through the government shutdown,” it said.
The latest statement regarding the government shutdown on the FAA’s website was issued on 6 October. It states: “As Secretary Sean Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system. When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations.”
According to FlightAware over 4,000 flights to, from and within the US were affected on Monday, primarily due to Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues. Earlier this month Duffy attributed 53% of flight delays to staffing issues, compared with 5% normally.
In a discussion on CNBC, Duffy acknowledged that the FAA is already down on air traffic controllers with a shortfall currently of 2,000 to 3,000 controllers. Commenting on how the shutdown is impacting controllers, some of whom are calling in sick, he said: “I’m trying to add to that number, not subtract from that number.”
He also emphasised that controllers are a “critical part of safety apparatus in the air.”
What is the US Government shutdown?
The US government shutdown began at the end of September because Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding government service into October and beyond.
According to US regulations, different government branches must reach an agreement on spending plans before they can become law. As a result, some government employees who are deemed non-essential have been furloughed or temporarily placed on unpaid leave.
More than 700,000 federal employees have been furloughed because of the government shutdown. However, as air traffic controllers are deemed essential workers, they are expected to work without pay during the shutdown.
The Trump administration has aired videos at some US airports blaming Democrats for the government shutdown. The video features Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem saying: “Democrats in Congress refuse to fund the federal government, and because of this, many of our operations are impacted and most of our TSA employees are working out pay.”
FAA handles over 16 million flights a year
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handles 16,191,379 flights yearly, covering 5,300,000 square miles of domestic airspace. It also oversees 527 airport traffic control towers, 14,000+ air traffic controllers and on average handles 44,360 daily flights.
A statement on the FAA’s website currently reads: “Portions of the Department of Transportation are currently in shutdown/ furlough stats due to a lapse in appropriations. Similarly, a post on the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB’s) website states: “Due to a lapse in funding, NTST. Gov will be available but not updated regularly.”
Photo: Adacel/ FAA
