Air traffic controllers' union chief says tension is at an 'all-time high' as workers miss their first full paycheck of the government shutdown

""We had a partial paycheck last time, so air traffic controllers have worked over 120 hours now with no pay. The tension is at an all-time high," Nick Daniels, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, or NATCA, told NBC News on Wednesday. "Air traffic controllers are not only stressed, they're not only fatigued, they're angry. They're upset," Daniels said."

"With "no end in sight," he warned that air travel could become less safe each day the shutdown continues. "When an air traffic controller isn't 100% focused on the job that they do day in and day out, that puts the system at risk," he said. "And every day that this drags on, that risk increases in the system." According to the Department of Transport, over 13,000 controllers are expected to remain on duty without pay through the government shutdown."

Over 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay as the government shutdown continues, increasing stress and fatigue among controllers. Controllers missed their first full paychecks on October 28 after receiving a partial mid-October payment. Union president Nick Daniels reports controllers have worked over 120 unpaid hours, describing heightened tension, anger, and fatigue, and warning that diminished focus could raise safety risks. Some airline crew have delivered free food to controllers. Many controllers reject being political bargaining chips and demand fair pay while continuing to perform duties that keep air travel operational.

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