Will Air-Traffic Controllers End the Government Shutdown?

"Air-traffic controllers make up less than half of one percent of the federal workforce, but when it comes to a government shutdown, they wield disproportionate power. During the prior shutdown, which started in December 2018, the biggest factor in forcing President Donald Trump to back down was their fast-growing resistance. This time, it looks as if they might stare him down again - maybe even faster."

"All it took was ten controllers skipping work to cause delays that snarled more than 600 flights. Those ten were a minuscule fraction of the more than 10,000 controllers employed by the Federal Aviation Administration. But with control towers chronically understaffed, it didn't take many absences for the system to start to seize up, and it was clear that worse lay ahead. Trump capitulated within hours."

"This time around, things are unraveling much faster. The shutdown was less than a week old and controllers hadn't even missed a paycheck when Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles had to close its tower because it had no controllers on duty from 4:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. The FAA reported that Denver and Newark airports also experienced delays owing to staffing shortages."

Air-traffic controllers represent less than half of one percent of the federal workforce yet hold disproportionate leverage during government shutdowns. In the December 2018 shutdown, controllers began calling in sick after missing paychecks and some took second jobs. Ten controllers skipping work caused delays that snarled more than 600 flights, and chronic understaffing meant few absences could cripple the system; the situation forced a presidential capitulation within hours. In the current shutdown, staffing problems emerged within a week, prompting a temporary tower closure at Hollywood Burbank and delays at Denver, Newark and several other major airports. The FAA Command Center warned of anticipated delays at Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Teterboro, La Guardia, Philadelphia, Reagan and San Francisco. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged many controllers were calling in sick.

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