Copyright The Boston Globe
Missed paychecks for air traffic control workers at Logan Airport are exacerbating the stresses of an already taxing line of work, union representatives said this week. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said that its members at Logan have long been accustomed to working with reduced staffing, and pay lapses this month caused by the federal shutdown are piling onto the strain. “It’s exhausting for them,” the association’s New England Regional Vice President Kevin Curtiss said. Air traffic controllers at Logan normally receive a paycheck every second Tuesday, Curtiss said. They did not get paid Oct. 28, and only got a partial paycheck on Oct. 14, he said. This week, Curtiss added, union representatives reached out to banks to inquire about possible interest-free loans for its members. Advertisement Some union members spoke directly to passengers at Logan’s Terminal B Tuesday, distributing leaflets explaining how the government shutdown has affected them day-to-day. They may return next week, Curtiss said. “We are demanding an end to the shutdown,” he said. There are approximately 24 fully certified air traffic controllers working at Logan, Curtiss said — roughly 30 percent short of the target as of April, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. For all of Logan’s air traffic staff, worrying about making ends meet makes it harder for the already shorthanded team to focus on “moving aircraft safely,” Curtiss said. “You don’t want an air traffic controller working at one of the most complex airports in the world having to deal with this as well,” Curtiss said. “You want them to be paid for the work that they do. You want them to know my family responsibilities are taken care of.” Advertisement Staffing shortfalls in air traffic control towers nationwide had plagued American air travel long before the shutdown arrived. “We are critically staffed, that’s not a secret,” said Galen Munroe, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s deputy director of public affairs. A Massachusetts Port Authority spokesperson said Wednesday that shutdown-related staffing shortages have yet to derail operations at Logan. The FAA’s website announced average delays of 55 minutes at the airport due to runway construction. Claire Thornton can be reached at claire.thornton@globe.com. Follow Claire on X @claire_thornto. Jaime Moore-Carrillo can be reached at jaime.moore-carrillo@globe.com.
