On Monday, more than 6,000 flights in the United States were delayed. Air traffic controllers were forced into staffing shortages by the prolonged government shutdown, leading to major bedlam. Major airports in New York, Los Angeles, and Denver faced significant disruptions, leaving travelers stranded and frustrated.
The government shutdown that started last Monday resulted from an impasse on spending between House Republicans and Senate Democrats. Democrats have pushed for retroactive, or pre-emptive concessions on healthcare to get Democrats to vote for a funding bill. Meanwhile, Republican leaders have stated they will not negotiate until funding is restored, despite holding a slight majority in the Senate.
As air traffic control facilities grappled with reduced staffing, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy assured the public that airspace remained safe for travelers. He did concede that there’s been a noticeable uptick in sick calls among controllers since the shutdown started. This issue has led to alarm over the health of air traffic controllers. Thousands of them endured the trauma and drain of the most recent federal government shutdown in 2019, when many report needing to take second jobs to pay their bills.
Duffy addressed the impact of the shutdown on air traffic operations, stating, “Do I think they’re more stressed right now in our towers? Yes. Is our airspace unsafe? No.” He emphasized that if any issues arose that jeopardized safety, the department would take immediate action: “we will shut down, we will close it down, we will delay.”
On Monday afternoon this week, the main air traffic control facility for the Hollywood Burbank Airport serving Los Angeles completely closed. As they dealt with a severe staffing crisis that forced their closure. For labor, this decision draws attention to the big ongoing work of air traffic control facilities during the shutdown.
Even the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union raised an alarm about the squeeze being put on controllers. In a statement, they noted, “A government shutdown adds unnecessary distraction to their work, adding strain on a workforce that is already stretched thin working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, operating the most complex airspace in the world.” They emphasized the commitment of controllers who work “10 hours a day, 6 days a week to make sure [flights] and their precious passengers and cargo arrives safely.”
Delays stretched into Tuesday as most major airports still felt the effects of the continuing crisis. Duffy pointed out that “there’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their communities,” further stressing the far-reaching effects of the shutdown.