Today’s letter was prompted by the impacts on air travelers across the country caused by the continuing federal government shutdown. The airline regulator has implemented slowdowns on takeoffs at several airports as air traffic control facilities struggle to maintain adequate staffing levels. Despite 13,000 air traffic controllers continuing their work during the shutdown, the situation is leading to increased delays and concerns over safety and efficiency in the aviation system.
Unfortunately, the 35-day shutdown and its aftereffects have accelerated serious problems in the air traffic control system. Staffing shortages, combined with lack of new equipment has stretched air traffic controllers to their breaking point. President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), Nick Daniels, stresses the severity of the situation, stating, “It’s not like we have other controllers that can suddenly come to that facility and staff them. There’s not enough people there.”
We are already seeing the massive impacts on air traffic control operations, especially at some of the busiest airports. For example, Burbank Airport lost its air traffic control tower during the crisis, meaning that flights had to be managed completely remotely from another facility. Passengers at Nashville’s airport experienced lengthy delays, often as much as two hours due to staffing shortages. By comparison, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport saw an average delay of 41 minutes. Dallas-Fort Worth was among the areas with the worst delays, which averaged 30 minutes. On one day in April, more than 6,000 flights throughout the U.S. were delayed. These disruptions were caused by staffing shortages affecting air traffic control.
The current, disastrous government shutdown has added to the stress levels of air traffic controllers. Many of them are already struggling mightily. After Duffy, we heard practical advice and tips from a staffer who knew the territory. “Just like everyone here, they’re working people who are obviously moving paycheck to paycheck and need that paycheck to pay their bills.” He underscored how controllers love this work and it is important to them. They’re equally as concerned with their own sense of economic security in a time of immense uncertainty, asking themselves, “Am I going to receive my paycheck?
With each passing day of the shutdown, fears increase that it will affect Americans’ plans to travel during the December holidays. Travel Industry consultant Henry Harteveldt on the record, at great length expressing grave concern. He sounds the alarm that a potential government shutdown will throw into disarray and even destroy millions of Americans’ Thanksgiving holidays. The longer this stalemate continues, the greater the chance it will impact travel at a critical peak season.
Even with the shutdown, hiring and training for new air traffic controllers continue. Just how long these efforts will go to alleviate staffing shortages remains to be seen. Most controllers have to work with obsolete equipment paired with increasing demands to maintain safety at all costs. Every day, this creates the potential for far-reaching effects to the entire U.S. aviation system to come.
Sara Nelson, a respected figure in aviation safety, emphasizes the importance of federal workers in maintaining safe travel: “We count on federal workers every day to do our jobs. We have hundreds of thousands of workers—federal and private sector—aviation professionals, who are worried and asking all day long, ‘Is it safe to fly? We’re able to do that because the American public is willing to take safety and security for granted.