October 30, 2025

The US government shutdown has put hundreds of air traffic controllers in a tough spot. After missing their first full paychecks, many are taking second jobs to make ends meet. Picture this: controllers waiting tables, delivering food for DoorDash, driving for Uber, shopping for Instacart, or tutoring on weekends—all while keeping our skies safe! Mike Christine, the eastern regional vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), told Reuters, "We're talking to our coworkers about how to get zero-interest loans." He also added that controllers are sharing tips about which companies are deferring payments and who is donating food. With around 13,000 controllers and 50,000 TSA officers working without pay, the shutdown—caused by a budget deadlock between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats—is now in its 28th day. They only got a partial paycheck two weeks ago, and after missing the latest full paycheck, many controllers have started calling in sick. This has led to thousands of daily flight delays and hundreds of cancellations, frustrating travelers and raising pressure on politicians to fix the mess. NATCA President Nick Daniels warns the situation will get worse. "By the hundreds, they're right now doing second jobs. Tomorrow, it will be in the thousands," Daniels told Reuters as controllers handed out flyers at LaGuardia Airport, asking the public to contact lawmakers and end the shutdown. Daniels also called the unpaid work "a dangerous distraction." Younger controllers, especially those new to the job or still in training, feel the financial pinch the most. "They are the most vulnerable that is out there. They're the ones that are absolutely feeling the greatest amount of this impact," he said. The delays are piling up. On Monday, nearly 7,000 flights were delayed, and on Sunday, 8,800 faced disruptions. By Tuesday evening, about 3,000 flights were delayed according to FlightAware. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the main reason is air traffic controller absences. He revealed that 44% of Sunday’s and 24% of Monday’s delays came because controllers were not at work, compared to just 5% before the shutdown. Even before all this, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was short of about 3,500 controllers. Many were already working long hours and six days a week. Speaking at LaGuardia, Duffy was surrounded by controllers and their union president, pleading with Democrats to approve government funding. "Don't hold our skies hostage," he said. "There is not a lot of leeway we have to get people paid." Meanwhile, airlines like Southwest and American are seeing huge delay rates: 34% and 29% of their flights were delayed on Monday, respectively. United Airlines and Delta also faced big delays at 19% and 22%. This crisis is not new. Back in 2019, a 35-day shutdown saw similar controller and TSA absenteeism, leading to long waits and slow air traffic in key cities. That chaos helped push the government to finally end the shutdown. Will history repeat? The pressure is on for lawmakers to get these heroes in the towers paid—and the planes flying on time again.

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Tags: Us government shutdown, Air traffic controllers, Flight delays, Aviation safety, Natca, Transportation security administration,