U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Monday that the ongoing government shutdown is creating serious safety concerns for air travel, as air traffic controllers are being forced to work without pay while considering taking additional jobs to make ends meet.
During a press conference at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, Duffy expressed alarm that controllers may need to work while exhausted and financially stressed, potentially compromising their ability to safely manage airspace.
The warning comes as the shutdown entered its sixth day with no meaningful negotiations between parties. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told reporters that Democrats needed to “stop the madness” and pass a stopgap spending bill, while President Donald Trump indicated that federal job cuts were “taking place right now,” blaming Democrats for the impasse.
Government Shutdown Could Impact Air Traffic Control: What We Know
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), representing more than 13,000 controllers, has urged its members to remain on the job despite the lack of pay, warning that participation in any job action could result in removal from federal service, according to Reuters.
The shutdown’s impact on air traffic control extends beyond immediate safety concerns to broader systemic issues. Essential air service funding will be affected as early as Sunday, after officials found emergency funds to extend operations from an initial Thursday deadline.
Duffy emphasized that while controllers are required to report for duty as part of critical infrastructure, they face the burden of financial uncertainty while performing high-stakes work.
“We want them to leave their personal problems at the door when they go into a tower or into a facility,” Duffy said Monday. “They’ve expressed those concerns to me. They are gonna be there. They’re gonna continue to work. But some of them were saying, ‘I might have to pick up Uber jobs.'”
Airlines for America, representing major carriers including United, Delta, American, and Southwest Airlines, has warned that funding lapses may force the system to slow down, reducing efficiency and significantly impacting travelers.
The organization emphasized that any reduction in air traffic control capacity could create cascading delays throughout the national airspace system.
Who Gets Paid During the Government Shutdown?
Under current shutdown protocols, air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are classified as essential workers who must report to duty but will not receive paychecks until the shutdown ends.
This creates severe financial hardship for approximately 63,000 aviation security professionals who maintain the safety and efficiency of U.S. air travel.
Is the Government Shutdown Still Happening?
The government shutdown remains in effect as of Monday, with no immediate resolution in sight. Congressional leaders have provided few public signs of meaningful negotiations, with Johnson insisting “there’s nothing for us to negotiate” and that “the House has done its job.” The House is not expected to be in session this week, shifting focus to the Senate for potential leadership on any deal.
Democrats are demanding renewal of health insurance subsidies for millions of households, while Trump wants to preserve existing spending levels, believing Democrats will fold due to risks to jobs and federal projects. The stalemate has been exacerbated by the Trump administration’s unprecedented threat to impose permanent job cuts on thousands of government workers during the shutdown.
Senator Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, noted that the administration has also stopped congressionally approved spending, undermining the value of seeking compromises since the administration could block spending from any deal.
When Could the Government Shutdown End?
No definitive timeline exists for ending the current shutdown. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York revealed there have been no talks with Republican leaders since their White House meeting on September 29, saying Republicans “have gone radio silent.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, indicated the Senate would vote again Monday on a Republican bill to reopen the government after it failed to secure the necessary 60 votes on Friday.
The 2019 precedent, when strain on the aviation system helped force a resolution after a 35-day shutdown, provides a potential framework for understanding how long the current crisis might last.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during the Monday press conference: “So, how long can the system run safely? So, for essential air service, that is going to be impacted as of Sunday. It was going to be Thursday. We found some more money to put into it. We’re trying to do the best we can to keep this process with minimal impact. The controllers have to show up for work. They have to come to work. They’re part of our critical infrastructure. The problem is, they’re going show up for work, and they’re not going to get paychecks.”
He added: “And like everybody here, these are working men and women who rely on their paychecks, and they set up their payments consistent with when their paychecks are going to come in. And they’re going to do the work, they’re not going get the check, and again, they have bills they have to pay. So now they’re thinking about that at the same time that they’re controlling the airspace, which I don’t like that.”
National Air Traffic Controllers Association told Reuters: “It is more important than ever that we rise to the occasion and continue delivering the consistent, high-level of public service we provide every day. We cannot stress enough that it is essential to avoid any actions that could reflect poorly on you, our union, or our professions.”
What Happens Next?
Aviation stakeholders are closely monitoring daily operations for signs of system strain while transportation officials continue searching for emergency funding sources.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Update 10/6/25, 3:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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