According to a report by Fortune, several leaders of the United States aviation industry have requested that Congress end the shutdown ahead of the busy holiday season and over concerns of air traffic controllers working without pay.
“It’s putting a strain on people. It’s not fair to those people. It’s also putting a strain on the economy,” the report quoted United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby as saying. He said, “Airlines are a very good real-time indicator of the economy, and we’re starting to see, still modest, but huge booking impact. And you’re seeing that happening across the economy. We’ve put the entire economy at risk.”
Kirby urged bipartisan support to pass a resolution to reopen the government. According to Bloomberg, along with industry leaders such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Chris Sununu, the former Republican governor of New Hampshire and current CEO of Airlines for America, he met with Vice President J.D. Vance on Thursday to discuss how the government shutdown is affecting aviation.
On Friday, American Airlines confirmed that CEO Robert Isom attended Thursday’s meeting. The airline described air traffic controllers working without pay as “unacceptable”, the report said.
“Congress needs to reach a bipartisan agreement to reopen the government as quickly as possible to pay our air traffic controllers,” [Transportation Security Administration]And [Customs and Border Protection] Friends,” the report quoted the airline as saying.
“The fastest way to end this shutdown and get these workers paid is to pass a clean continuing resolution. A longer closure will lead to more delays and cancellations — and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better,” it said.
Impact of government shutdown on aviation industry
The aviation industry remains a focal point during the government shutdown, with more than 13,000 air traffic controllers, considered essential workers, working without pay. This has increased the stress on the employees who have been facing staff shortage for more than ten years. Before the shutdown, 91% of US air traffic control centers operated below the Federal Aviation Administration’s recommended staffing levels. During the shutdown, many controllers have been working six days a week, often more than 60 hours.
The shutdown is set to reach a record length, nearing its 34th day on Monday, when the Senate reconvenes, matching the longest funding gap in US history. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the shutdown could result in a loss of about $14 billion in real GDP that cannot be recovered. While more than 700,000 government employees have not received pay during this time, some, like ICE agents, have been receiving their pay checks.
Air traffic controllers received their last pay check on Tuesday and are feeling the pressure of working without pay. Some have taken on side jobs as restaurant servers and Uber drivers to make ends meet.
The report quoted Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, as saying, “This is a world where they are now not only dependent on each other, but they are also dependent on having other jobs, going to their primary job during the day and then having to go out in the evening and get some level of second job.”
Some workers staged “sickness”, refusing to work until they were paid. Air travel has already been disrupted due to these shortages. The report further cites Flightaware.com data, which says there were more than 7,300 delays and 1,250 cancellations at US airports on Thursday.
