Washington — The Biden administration on Thursday warned of mounting disruption at U.S. airports if a weeks-long federal government shutdown extends into November, citing unpaid aviation staff and rising absenteeism that could upend holiday travel for millions.
With Congress still gridlocked over health-care spending, key aviation personnel — more than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers — are working without pay. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the shutdown is already causing “severe impacts” and could soon trigger “significant flight delays, disruptions and cancelations in major airports across the country this holiday season.”
Airport staffing shortages became a flashpoint during the record 35-day shutdown in 2019, when sick-outs among screeners and controllers contributed to cascading delays that helped force a resolution.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that controller and TSA gaps now account for “more than 50 percent of delays,” compared with a typical five percent, adding that 19,000 flights were held up from Saturday to Monday. “The longer the shutdown goes on, and as fewer air traffic controllers show up to work, the safety of the American people is thrown further into jeopardy,” he said, noting that some workers are taking second jobs to make ends meet.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said controllers are increasingly frustrated as paychecks lapse. “I want them coming to their facilities and controlling the airspace,” he said, “but they’re having to make decisions about how they spend their time, to make sure they put food on their table.”
Airlines are already reporting strain. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told analysts that Reagan National Airport outside Washington has seen “operating delays and issues with air traffic control.”
On Capitol Hill, senators on Thursday rejected a GOP bill to guarantee pay for troops and select federal workers during the shutdown. Republicans argued the measure would shield essential staff; Democrats countered it gave the White House too much discretion over who gets paid and did nothing for roughly 750,000 furloughed workers.
Democrats maintain that reopening the government requires negotiations led by President Donald Trump over extending subsidies that keep health insurance affordable — the core sticking point. Trump has insisted he will not negotiate until the shutdown ends, leaving no clear path to a deal as the holiday travel season approaches.
