Washington: As the U.S. government shutdown enters its second week, mounting tensions have surfaced between federal authorities and the nation’s air traffic controllers. The Department of Transportation has warned that controllers who repeatedly fail to report for duty during the funding lapse could face termination, as widespread absenteeism threatens to cripple the country’s already strained aviation network.
The ongoing shutdown, now in its ninth day, has led to cascading disruptions across the U.S. air travel system. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), nearly 21,000 flights have been delayed since Monday, with around 6,300 delays reported on Thursday alone. Major airlines, including United, American, Delta, and Southwest, have faced delays on as many as 30% of their scheduled flights, forcing passengers into long lines and extensive rescheduling chaos.
With the FAA forced to restrict air traffic in certain sectors due to reduced staffing, the ripple effects are being felt nationwide from major hubs like Atlanta and Chicago to regional airports in the Midwest and Northeast. Industry analysts warn that if the shutdown persists, delays could multiply in the coming days, further straining both passengers and airline operations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a strong rebuke against what he described as “a small minority” of air traffic controllers who have stopped showing up for work amid the crisis. Speaking to Fox Business, Duffy emphasized that while 90–95% of controllers continue to perform their duties without pay, the government would not tolerate deliberate absenteeism or actions resembling a work stoppage.
He warned that those failing to appear for duty without valid justification could be dismissed from federal service, noting that the continuity of air operations is essential for national safety. “The vast majority of our air traffic controllers are true professionals,” Duffy said. “But those who choose to abandon their responsibilities during a national funding lapse risk losing their jobs permanently.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), which represents thousands of controllers nationwide, responded cautiously to the warning. The union urged its members to remain professional and to follow proper procedures when unable to report to duty due to illness or other legitimate reasons.
NATCA also reminded federal officials that any punitive action against controllers must comply with established labor protocols, warning that unjust dismissals could ignite new legal and political disputes. The union stressed that many controllers have been working extended shifts without pay, enduring immense stress to maintain public safety under difficult conditions.
The FAA’s workforce crisis predates the current shutdown. For more than a decade, the agency has struggled with thousands of vacancies in key control centers, forcing existing personnel to handle overtime and back-to-back shifts.
Under normal operations, staffing shortages account for about 5% of flight delays, but during the ongoing shutdown, that figure has surged to over 50% in some regions. This echoes the 2019 government shutdown, when absenteeism among unpaid controllers forced regulators to slow operations at major airports, eventually pushing Congress to reopen the government.
As the crisis deepens, lawmakers are intensifying pressure on both parties to reach a funding deal. Senator Ed Markey, a Democrat, has called on airlines to provide full refunds to passengers facing extended delays or cancellations, even though such disruptions stem from government rather than airline actions.
“The American traveler shouldn’t pay the price for Washington’s dysfunction,” Markey said, urging the Department of Transportation to ensure airlines uphold basic consumer protections during the shutdown.
The warnings from Washington underscore the growing fragility of the U.S. aviation system a network that depends on precision, discipline, and thousands of skilled professionals. As the shutdown continues without resolution, both air travelers and the federal workforce remain caught in the crossfire of political gridlock.
If the government proceeds with dismissals, the short-term consequence could be even fewer qualified controllers, potentially worsening safety concerns and prolonging nationwide disruptions. With the stakes climbing higher each day, the crisis has once again spotlighted how deeply American infrastructure relies on federal stability and how quickly that stability can unravel when politics ground the system to a halt.