"I'm trying to get more air traffic controllers into the into the towers and be certified. But I'm about 1,000 to 2,000 controllers short, Duffy said. And so, I paid experience controllers to stay on the job and not retire. I used to have about four controllers retire a day before the shutdown. I'm now up to 15 to 20 a day are retiring."
"And the controllers that I've talked to said, a lot of them, we can miss one paycheck. They told me that virtually none of them can miss two paychecks. And so, they're going to be confronted with the idea ofgoing to get a side job, a second job to make ends meet. To put food on the table, put gas in the car, to pay their rent."
Widespread shortages and increasing retirements of qualified air traffic controllers are reducing available staffing and forcing cuts to air traffic operations. Paid absences and missed paychecks during the shutdown have driven experienced controllers to delay retirement only temporarily while many newer controllers face financial pressure to seek second jobs. Vacancies rose from 61 to 81 in the cited period, and overall staffing shortfalls are estimated at 1,000 to 2,000 controllers. Daily retirements increased from about four to 15–20, deepening the deficit and threatening prolonged flight cancellations and disruptions even after the shutdown ends.
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