Facing another potential government shutdown this weekend, Airlines for America (A4A) and major U.S. carriers are urging Congress to pass a law guaranteeing pay for air traffic controllers even if the government stops funding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They are seeking to prevent a repeat of the 2025 crisis that disrupted 6 million passengers and cost the economy $7 billion.
Why Unpaid Controllers Are a Risk
The airlines believe that the unpaid staff are a safety risk. In the 2025 shutdown, about 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA screeners worked with no pay. This is because they are federal employees. When a government shutdown happens, many non-essential federal workers are furloughed. Essential workers, like controllers and TSA screeners, must still work but do not get paid until funding is restored. This led to many calling in sick due to financial strain, causing severe staff shortages.
The Federal Aviation Administration had no choice but to reduce flights at 40 major airports. This eventually led to schedule being cut by up to 10%. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had warned that cuts could reach 20% if conditions worsened.
“Congress needs to understand the real-world consequences that impact the American public if planes cannot fly due to a shutdown,”
A4A stated this week. They warned that the travellers, shippers, and the federal employees who keep the system safe would all feel the strain.
The Answer?
In a direct response to the last crisis, lawmakers have proposed a new bill titled the Aviation Funding Solvency Act. This bill would use a pre-existing $2.6 billion aviation trust fund to guarantee pay for essential FAA staff during a shutdown. It unanimously passed its first committee vote in December 2025.
A4A is now pushing hard for Congress to pass this bill.
“Both… are commonsense bills that have bipartisan support and use funds that have already been paid into the system,” the group stated, adding that the FAA’s safety mission is “too important to be subjected to an unpredictable and unstable process.”
The message from airlines is clear: pay controllers, or risk another travel meltdown.
Do you think Congress should guarantee air traffic controllers’ pay during a shutdown? Let us know below.
