"Shutdown Drags On, Airspace Closing"...U.S. Faces Air Traffic Paralysis

Department of Transportation Considers Airspace Closure Over Safety Concerns
Unpaid Controllers, Widespread Absences Raise Fears of Nationwide Chaos

The U.S. federal government shutdown has continued for over a month, putting the nation’s air travel system on the brink of paralysis. As air traffic controllers, already suffering from a labor shortage, continue to work without pay, flight delays and cancellations are occurring at airports nationwide.

Travelers moving at Washington D.C. Dulles Airport. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

On November 3 (local time), U.S. Secretary of Transportation Shaun Duffy said in an interview with CNBC, “If we determine it is not safe, we will close all airspace,” adding, “We will not allow people to travel by air.” He continued, “We are not at that point yet, but there are already significant delays,” and emphasized, “The risks have increased substantially.”

The United States has major cities spread widely across the country in all directions, making domestic air travel highly dependent on flights. As a result, there are growing concerns that if the aviation system comes to a halt, a nationwide transportation crisis will be unavoidable.

Currently, about 13,000 air traffic controllers are classified as essential personnel and are working without pay. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there is a shortfall of about 3,500 controllers compared to the target staffing level. They are enduring by working overtime and six-day weeks, but fatigue is leading to increased absences and leave.

In fact, on October 31 alone, 6,200 flights were delayed and 500 were canceled nationwide. Secretary Duffy stated, “Sixty-five percent of those were due to controller absences.” The disruptions continued over the weekend, with 4,600 flights delayed on November 1 and 5,800 on November 2.

Secretary Duffy said, “There are no plans to fire controllers who have taken leave,” and added, “We are urging everyone to return to work as soon as possible.”

Major airlines such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines, along with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, are calling on Congress to pass a temporary budget to end the shutdown.

Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, told Reuters, “With the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of November, when travel demand peaks, we are seriously concerned about disruptions to flight bookings and operations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.