Air traffic control operations across the U.S. are facing growing strain. Staffing shortages worsened over the weekend as the government shutdown entered its fourth week, leading to widespread delays and rising anxiety. Experts warn the situation is unlikely to improve until air traffic controllers begin receiving pay.
More than 50 staffing shortages have been reported since Friday morning, causing delays from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., according to an operations update. Controllers are considered essential workers, so they must work during the shutdown, but are not being paid.
“We have a lot of pent-up grievances on the part of air traffic controllers, and now you’re adding to the mix the fact that they’re not getting paid and that there’s no real end in sight for the shutdown,” said Jake Rosenfeld, a professor of sociology at Washington University in St. Louis who studies labor organizing.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said in a statement it does “not endorse, support, or condone any federal employees participating in or endorsing a coordinated activity that negatively affects the capacity of the NAS, or any other activities that undermine the professional image and reputation of the people we represent.”
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“Participating in a job action could result in removal from federal service,” adds the statement.
“Air traffic controllers are a real linchpin in the economy and actions, even by a really small number of them, can cause real pains,” Rosenfeld said.
An Air Traffic Controller (ATC) in the United States is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee responsible for ensuring the safe, orderly, and efficient movement of aircraft within the National Airspace System (NAS). They direct aircraft during takeoff, landing, and en-route phases, manage ground traffic at airports, and maintain safe separation between planes using radar, radio, and advanced tracking systems.
To become a controller, candidates must be U.S. citizens, meet medical and background requirements, complete FAA training (often through the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative or military experience), and achieve certification after extensive on-the-job training.
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Chad Mourning, an assistant professor of computer science at Ohio University who specializes in aviation safety, told CNN he expects the shortage to continue and get worse as the shutdown goes on, “because people can only work so much over time before they burn out.”
“There’s just too many airplanes, so we need someone else to sort of keep an eye out for if two planes are trying to land on the same runway,” he explained.
The ongoing air traffic controller staffing shortages and delayed pay during the government shutdown highlight the fragile state of the U.S. aviation system, which relies heavily on a limited and overworked workforce.
Experts warn that burnout and declining morale could worsen staffing gaps, threatening long-term system reliability. The crisis underscores the urgent need for sustainable investment, workforce support, and policy stability to ensure aviation safety and efficiency. Without addressing these structural issues, the U.S. risks compromising both the safety and resilience of its air transportation network.