US Airlines Warn Shutdown Could Disrupt Travel Operations

US airlines cautioned that a potential partial federal government shutdown could significantly disrupt air travel, as essential personnel—including air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers—would be required to work without pay. The shutdown is expected to begin Wednesday unless Congress approves a funding bill.

Airlines for America, representing United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, said Monday that “when federal employees who manage air traffic, inspect aircraft and secure our nation’s aviation system are furloughed or working without pay, the entire industry and millions of Americans feel the strain.”

Approximately 13,227 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA employees would continue working without pay, while other functions, including hiring and training at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), would be halted. A 2019, 35-day shutdown caused increased absences among controllers and TSA officers, slowing flights and lengthening checkpoint wait times.

In a Monday letter, a coalition of airlines, aviation unions, manufacturers, and airports warned that shutdowns force the FAA to “suspend air traffic controller and technician hiring and training, delay safety initiatives, postpone maintenance and repairs to critical equipment, suspend air carrier pilot check rides, delay aircraft airworthiness inspections, defer voluntary safety reporting analysis, and halt modernization programs.” The letter also noted that extended shutdowns could delay certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and slow a US$12.5 billion air traffic control system overhaul.

The FAA confirmed that controller hiring and field training would pause under its contingency plan. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that a shutdown could jeopardize air traffic training and modernization efforts. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association added that “hundreds of air traffic control trainees at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City could also be furloughed, causing significant delays in the training pipeline and worsening the ongoing air traffic controller staffing crisis.” The FAA is currently about 3,800 controllers short of its target, with many existing controllers working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks.