Summary
Air traffic controller shortages are causing delays and may pressure Congress to end the government shutdown. Controllers are working without pay, worsening an existing staffing issue and risking flight safety. Sick-out actions by controllers highlight the fragile state of the aviation system.
Key Facts
- Air traffic controllers are working without pay due to the government shutdown.
- Shortages have led to flight delays in major U.S. cities like Chicago, Nashville, and Denver.
- Some airports, like Hollywood Burbank, had no air traffic control for several hours.
- "Sick-outs" are being used as a form of protest instead of striking, which is illegal.
- The National Air Traffic Controllers Association warns that staffing shortages impact safety and efficiency.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Democrats of causing the shutdown but gave inaccurate salary information about controllers.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has starting salaries for controllers between $50,000-$60,000, not $180,000.
