The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is keeping some 13,000 controllers and about 50,000 TSA officers on duty without pay for the duration of the shutdown. Some facilities have reported a slight uptick in sick leave and more extended shifts — six-day weeks and ten-hour days — which, together with the structural staffing deficit (thousands below target), narrows the operational margin even further. The combination of fatigue, uncertainty, and lean staffing compels the FAA to reduce arrival and departure rates at certain airports to preserve safety, with the inevitable domino effect on connections.
The controllers’ union (NATCA) has publicly urged Congress to end the shutdown “as soon as possible,” noting that these interruptions erode critical safety layers of the National Airspace System. At the same time, the organization has urged its members to keep reporting for duty and to avoid any action that could compromise safety, warning that failure to do so may carry workplace penalties. The message seeks a difficult balance between denouncing the hardship of working without pay and preserving continuity of service.
From the government, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has toughened his tone against repeated absences and hinted that those who do not report could be fired. While he underscores that between 90% and 95% of controllers are still covering their shifts, he admits that “even a small number” of absences has large-scale effects on the network. The warning highlights the system’s fragility in the face of even minor disruptions in critical areas and revives the specter of the last major shutdown in 2019, when forced absenteeism ultimately impacted operations.
Practically speaking, travelers should prepare for more irregular days than usual, especially during the early-morning peaks and the late-afternoon “bank” of connections. Airlines are tweaking schedules and reinforcing customer service, but their room to maneuver is limited when restrictions stem from air traffic control rather than their own operations. At airports like Dallas and Chicago, average delays of 30 to 40 minutes have already appeared due to capacity regulations; in Nashville, Tuesday saw a reduction episode that strained on-time performance throughout the afternoon. Monitoring flight status, allowing more buffer time for connections, and keeping airline notification channels up to date are more relevant than ever.
At bottom, the issue is not safety — safeguards remain — but resilience and predictability. A system running with a “thin skin” of staffing quickly enters an operational risk zone when absences, fatigue, and extended shifts coincide. If the budget deadlock is lifted soon, the network will gradually regain its rhythm; if it drags on, the exceptionality of these days may become the norm, with reputational and economic costs for airlines, airports, and destinations. The message is clear and cross-cutting: budget stability is not an abstract debate in Washington; it is measured in minutes of delay, in passenger confidence, and in the competitiveness of U.S. aviation.
