Copyright Simple Flying
Air traffic controllers are now struggling the most financially as they miss their first full paychecks. Charitable endeavors provide some relief, but to keep the friendly skies safe and travelers moving across America, the government needs to resume “business as usual.” Even so, let’s take a look at what carriers around the US are doing to help out. The main way that major airlines in the United States support unpaid federal aviation workers, especially air traffic controllers, is by offering free meals at airports and airline hubs nationwide. Airlines are pleading with Congress to lift the government shutdown, highlighting how crucial these employees are to aviation safety. The ATC Crisis As the US government is currently in the fifth week of the ongoing shutdown, controllers are facing steadily worse working conditions. Considered essential workers, they are required to work without pay in a situation exacerbated by the pre-existing controller shortage, which is causing significant flight delays and cancellations nationwide due to an increasing number of controllers calling in sick. The staffing shortages have led to widespread flight disruptions, including ground stops, at major airports such as Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Denver (DEN), and Chicago O'Hare (ORD). Flight delays can average an hour or more at some facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) maintain that air travel remains safe because contingency plans are in place to manage capacity, such as delaying flights on the ground or rerouting traffic. Controllers, under financial pressure, have increasingly taken sick leave or pursued secondary employment (like Uber), worsening a long-standing staffing deficit at the FAA. This diminished workforce has forced the FAA to slow air traffic, reroute planes, and implement temporary ground stops, leading to thousands of disruptions in flight schedules. Airlines Pitching In Over 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay, as their jobs are deemed critical to public safety. They have already missed at least one full paycheck, and many are facing significant financial stress, forcing some to seek alternative work or call in sick. The immediate effect of staffing shortages has been widespread flight delays and cancellations, as the FAA slows the flow of air traffic to match the available controller capacity. The already strained system will likely experience an unprecedented level of flight delays and cancellations if it is not resolved by the Thanksgiving holiday travel surge. The impact during the busiest time of air travel in the US could see up to 25% or 30% of flights cancelled, according to some experts. CBS News quoted a United Airlines representative who stated: "United is donating meals for air traffic controllers and other federal workers whose pay is delayed. We appreciate the hardworking federal employees who are keeping the air travel system running." During the current shutdown, much attention has been given to air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration screening officers. The second-longest shutdown, at 35 days, was partially resolved because of pressure related to the crumbling operational capacity of the airports around the country. USA Today reports that most airports are still functioning at about 80% on-time departures despite the precarious situation. Keeping The Friendly Skies Safe United Airlines provided meals at its hubs, which included airports in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (N.J.), San Francisco (SFO), and Dulles in Washington, DC (IAD). American Airlines provided meals at more than seven airports across the country, including sending "dozens of pizzas" to controllers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). Delta Air Lines noted to CBS News that it was arranging for a "limited number of meals for transportation sector workers" at their hubs, "within the strict rules established for employees of federal government agencies." A spokesperson went on to elaborate more on how the airline demands more from the government to ensure that these vital professionals are supported while performing their crucial and intensive duties to keep American skies safe. "Missed paychecks only increase the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure. It's thanks to these federal employees that Delta is able to carry more than 500,000 daily customers on 5,000 daily flights. A system under stress must be slowed down, reducing efficiency and causing delays for the millions of people who take to the skies every day." JetBlue has worked with the FAA and TSA, as well as the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, to offer meals at various locations as a "small gesture of support," according to The Travel. Southwest Airlines has also provided relief to federal employees with food and drink service at different airports across the country. The carrier’s pilot association, SWAPA, has also been active in coordinating support and advocating for an end to the government shutdown. On The Front Lines And Behind The Scenes Along with the airlines, aviation professionals in the private sector are banding together to support struggling federal workers. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA), which represents 11,000 pilots, is working together with American’s Allied Pilots Association, a union of 16,000 pilots, to demand an end to the shutdown. President Silva of the APA wrote in a statement, recounted by WFAA 8 ABC News: “We stand with our brothers and sisters in air traffic control and TSA who continue to show up to work every day without a paycheck.” Airlines for America (A4A) has consistently urged Congress to provide more funding for the FAA to hire and train more controllers and modernize the ATC system. AA4A is a trade association of leading US passenger and cargo airlines. Its members transport more than 90% of all domestic passenger and cargo air traffic. Some airlines have stated they will adjust their flight schedules in advance if they know air traffic controller staffing will be an issue, which helps manage the system's capacity and maintain safety during times of strain. Airlines are collaborating with the FAA on traffic flow management strategies and implementing new technologies under the NextGen initiative. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is the large-scale initiative to modernize the ATC system, transitioning from a ground-based, radar-centric system to a satellite-based, digital one. Its goal is to increase safety, efficiency, and capacity while reducing aviation's environmental impact. The Federal Failure Both the Transportation Secretary and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) have acknowledged that while the air traffic system remains safe through operational adjustments, the shutdown heightens risk levels. Controllers struggling with financial stress may face distractions that compromise their focus on safety. Donald Trump’s appointed Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, is warning that if the shutdown persists, controllers could miss additional paychecks, potentially resulting in "mass chaos" in air travel, as ABC News reported. Closing parts of the airspace is a measure of last resort to prevent incidents in the air or on the ground that could occur due to a lack of fully focused and available personnel. Duffy was quoted in a transparent attempt to blame Democrats who are currently on Capitol Hill, demanding that the Republican-controlled Congress reopen, while Republicans refuse to return to the House of Representatives. ABC News quoted him as saying the following: "So if, if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos. You will see mass flight delays. You'll see mass cancelations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don't have the air traffic controllers." While the DOT maintains that air travel is currently safe, Duffy has said that "more risk is injected into the system" with the current staffing strain. The government shutdown has suspended critical FAA functions, including the hiring of new controllers and the training of current students at the FAA Academy, which will worsen the long-term staffing problem. Politics Threatening American Flyers The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, and is now the longest in US history, eclipsing the previous longest recorded shutdown in 2019, also under Donald Trump’s presidency. The DOT is considering shutting down parts of US airspace, which would be an unprecedented collapse of the air travel network in America. The ongoing government shutdown shows no signs of resolution as Republicans refuse to return to the capital and perform their obligated duties to the citizens of the United States. The shutdown is a result of the deep partisan stalemate between Republicans and Democrats over funding bills tied to the blockage of newly elected Democratic Congressional Representatives by the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, particularly regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the release of the investigation files regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Republicans insist on passing a "clean" continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government temporarily without any policy issues being addressed. They argue the ACA extension is a separate matter that Republicans want to buy time to fight, instead of allowing it forward under the must-pass funding bill. Democrats, and some dissenting Republicans, accuse the leadership of attempting to "cover up" for elite individuals potentially named in the files, including President Trump. Some Republicans who want the files released believe the leadership is stalling to avoid an issue that might be politically damaging to the party or specific individuals.
