The United States federal government shutdown, now tied for the longest failure of the US government ever, has caused a year-on-year quadrupling of aviation safety alerts due to a lack of air traffic controllers. Since the beginning of the government standstill, 393 facilities have reported a so-called “staffing trigger,” and the weekend of 31 October to 2 November 2025 saw the highest number of safety alerts since the start of the budget impasse a month before.
The triggers occur when air traffic workers (who are considered essential staff and must continue working without pay despite the stoppage of other government services) cannot safely cover shifts as normal. This results in alterations to airspace operations, such as rerouting aircraft or adjusting schedules to slow flights down.
🚨 JUST IN: Sec. Sean Duffy EXPOSES the real impact of Schumer’s shutdown:
— MAGA FORCE (@MAGA_FORCE_) November 3, 2025
“It’s NOT just air traffic controllers! I’ve got inspectors checking trains, technicians keeping equipment running, and people certifying airplanes — all working WITHOUT pay!”
“Democrats should RESPECT… pic.twitter.com/zju9cJpAcv
With more than 13,000 air traffic control staff now having gone over a month without pay, the risk of them calling in sick or taking time off in order to undertake remunerated work increases, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Speaking to ABC, he said: “There is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that’s doing two jobs instead of one. They don’t make a lot of money, and so they may be the only person who is bringing money into the household. They have to make a decision, do I go to work and not get a paycheque and not put food on the table? Or do I drive for Uber or DoorDash or wait tables?”
Halloween on Friday, 31 October, saw the greatest number of staff absences. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data shows 15 of the 30 largest airports in the country were impacted, with 8 out of 10 air traffic controllers off work in the New York City area. Analysis by CNN found short-staffing affected 46 facilities on 31 October, 34 facilities on 1 November, and 18 on 2 November. Among the locations experiencing problems were Austin, Texas, Boston, Denver, Dallas, Nashville, Newark, New Jersey, and Phoenix.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says to ensure safety, his department will “slow traffic down” when it comes to the strain on air travel, as the government shutdown stretches on.
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) November 2, 2025
“You'll see delays. We’ll have flights canceled to make sure the system is safe,” Duffy tells… pic.twitter.com/qnHaYeK3zx
Commenting on the staffing issues, the FAA said: “Air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue. The shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they’ve earned, and travelers can avoid further disruptions and delays.”
Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay for weeks, ensuring the safety of more than 50,000 daily operations across the national airspace system (NAS).
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) November 1, 2025
As we head into this weekend, a surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple…
While thousands of federal staff have been furloughed because of the shutdown, air traffic controllers are not the only ones expected to carry on working without pay. Border control and law enforcement officers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and medical care staff in hospitals are also among those considered essential workers.
