NATCA: Government Shutdowns Derail and Delay Urgent Improvements in ATC Hiring, Training, and Modernization

(WASHINGTON) – The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) is urging Congress to act swiftly to reach an agreement to fund the government and avoid a shutdown that would delay urgently needed hiring and training of air traffic controllers and modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS).

A government shutdown reduces essential layers of safety that ensure the flying public safely reaches their destinations. In the event of a shutdown, critical safety support staff would be furloughed, and vital support programs would be suspended, making it increasingly difficult for air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals to operate at full capability.

“In a time when aviation safety is under so much public scrutiny, a government shutdown would only add to the distractions our members must manage every day on the job,” NATCA President Nick Daniels said. “Congress must act now to prevent a shutdown.”

If funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) expires, more than 3,500 NATCA-represented aviation safety professionals, including some air traffic controller trainees, aircraft certification engineers, and aerospace engineers, would be furloughed. Critical safety and technology work, as well as operational support, would not be performed while these essential professionals are furloughed.

In addition, approximately 500 air traffic control trainees at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City would be furloughed, causing significant delays in training pipeline and exacerbating the ongoing air traffic controller staffing crisis.

“We currently have approximately 10,800 certified professional controllers moving traffic throughout the NAS – which is 3,600 short of where we need to be. NATCA is deeply concerned that a government shutdown of any length, could cause significant setbacks and harm our collective efforts to bolster the controller hiring and training pipeline,” said Daniels. “During a government shutdown – even a brief one – the FAA must halt training at its Academy and send trainees home for at least the duration of the shutdown.”

The dedicated, American, hard-working employees who serve as controllers are the foundation of our air traffic control system. The NAS requires a sufficient number of fully certified air traffic controllers to meet the FAA’s operational, statutory, and contractual requirements. These controllers and the thousands of other aviation safety professionals represented by NATCA are vital to the U.S. economy, ensuring the safe and efficient movement of millions of passengers and tons of cargo through our dynamic airspace every day.

Certified air traffic controllers are classified under the law as “excepted” workers and are therefore required to work during a shutdown without pay, often subject to mandatory overtime, requiring many controllers to work six days a week, 10 hours a day. This leads to higher stress and fatigue, further complicating their ability to perform their essential duties.

“The increased stress and fatigue from working long hours without a paycheck cannot be overstated,” said Daniels. “Air traffic controllers take great pride in the service they provide, and they will continue to do their jobs with dedication, no matter the circumstances. However, we cannot ignore the fact that a shutdown would create significant long-term problems for air traffic control operations.”

NATCA calls on Congress to prioritize aviation safety and take immediate action to prevent a government shutdown. The flying public relies on an efficient and safe air traffic control system, and we must not jeopardize that system.