A startling message came over the radio from an air traffic control tower near Los Angeles less than a week into the federal government shutdown: “The tower is closed due to staffing.”
Without enough air traffic controllers to guide planes into and out of Hollywood Burbank Airport, the tower went dark for almost six hours on Oct. 6, leaving pilots to coordinate their movements among themselves. Flight delays averaged two-and-a-half hours in one of the first visible signs that the shutdown was already taking a toll on the nation’s aviation system.
Since the shutdown began Oct. 1, the Federal Aviation Administration has reported controller shortages in cities across the U.S., with delays spreading to numerous airports including Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, Nashville, Dallas, and Newark.
Moreover, unscheduled absences among security screeners at some airports have already increased. While the Transportation Security Administration union states that the situation hasn't yet disrupted travel, cautioning that longer lines at checkpoints could soon be expected following employees' recent paychecks.
Experts and union leaders emphasize that these disruptions highlight the critical understaffing and outdated technology plaguing the aviation system. They fear that prolonged shutdowns could reveal deeper cracks in the aviation structure, with Greg Raiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group, likening it to a continuing drought.
Longstanding Problems Persist
These issues are not new; the aviation system has faced similar challenges during previous shutdowns. In 2019, a 35-day government shutdown severely impacted air travel, forcing air traffic controllers to sue the government over missed paychecks. Now, years later, experts claim that no substantial changes have been made to prevent repeating the mistakes of the past.
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, voices the rising concern over staffing levels hitting critical lows, with air traffic controller vacancies at an all-time high. Furthermore, ongoing equipment failures and radar outages signal urgent modernization needs that are again obstructed by the current shutdown.
The FAA, after improving hiring practices, recently achieved its goal of hiring 2,000 new controllers. However, it will take years to fully resolve staffing shortages, exacerbated by the shutdown delaying critical modernization efforts.
Impacts on Workforce Stability
Johnny Jones from the American Federation of Government Employees warns that prolonged shutdowns might drive more security screeners away from the TSA, compounding existing staffing shortages and threatening to fracture workforce stability. Daniels worries that fear of potential future shutdowns could deter new recruits from joining the ranks of air traffic control.
Many voices in the aviation industry are calling for reform to ensure stability in FAA funding, emphasizing that aviation needs to be insulated from political struggles to maintain safety and reliability amidst ongoing challenges.
As the current shutdown lingers, the industry's vulnerability remains apparent. “To be blunt, we’re long overdue for a wake-up call,” warns aviation attorney Ricardo Martinez-Cid. The aviation community is bracing for what may be more turbulent times ahead.
