US Awards $10,000 Bonuses to 776 Air Traffic Staff After Shutdown

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will issue a US$10,000 bonus to 776 air traffic controllers and technicians who maintained uninterrupted attendance during the most recent federal government shutdown. The payment will be delivered no later than Dec. 9, according to a joint announcement from both agencies. Eligible workers will be notified during the week of Nov. 24.

The bonus follows a directive from President Donald Trump instructing the DOT and FAA to recognize personnel who continued reporting to duty throughout what became the longest government shutdown in US history. The shutdown lasted 43 days, according to US press releases, although FAA and DOT leadership publicly referenced a 44-day interruption of government operations.

DOT Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the award acknowledges the role controllers and technicians played in keeping the National Airspace System (NAS) operational during a period marked by political gridlock. He said these employees “showed up day after day and ensured the safety of the traveling public throughout the shutdown. This award is an acknowledgment of their dedication and a heartfelt appreciation for going above and beyond in service to the nation.”

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the continuity of operations demonstrated a high level of public service. “I am deeply proud and grateful to the air traffic control personnel who worked under extraordinary operational challenges to keep the NAS functioning safely during the shutdown,” Bedford said.

Eligible workers are those who achieved “perfect attendance” for the duration of the shutdown. The DOT did not clarify whether vacation time or fatigue-related absences would disqualify an employee, a detail noted by industry observers.

The shutdown stemmed from a political impasse over Affordable Care Act health-care subsidies scheduled to expire in late December. Democratic senators withheld support for a temporary funding bill unless the GOP agreed to extend the subsidies. The GOP and the administration said they would not negotiate while the government was closed, prolonging the standoff. The shutdown ended after several Democratic senators agreed to advance the bill.

During the shutdown, the FAA began limiting flights at 40 major US airports on Nov. 7, citing prolonged staffing constraints exacerbated by an existing shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers nationwide. The administration lifted all flight restrictions the following Monday, allowing full operations to resume.

Industry labor representatives emphasized the strain on the workforce. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said in an Oct. 31 statement that controllers were working “10-hour days and six-day workweeks due to the ongoing staffing shortage, all without pay.” Approximately 11,000 air traffic controllers continued working without pay for two pay periods because they were considered essential personnel. Fewer than 800 of them will receive the bonus.