Less than a week into the federal government shutdown, an alarming message came over the radio from an air traffic control tower near Los Angeles: “Tower is closed for staffing.”
There weren’t enough air traffic controllers to guide planes into and out of Hollywood-Burbank Airport, leaving the tower in darkness for nearly six hours on Oct. 6, forcing pilots to coordinate their movements. Flight delays averaged two and a half hours, one of the first visible signs that the grounding was already taking a toll on the country’s aviation system.
Since the shutdown began on October 1, the Federal Aviation Administration has reported a shortage of air traffic controllers in cities across the country, from airports in Boston and Philadelphia to control centers in Atlanta and Houston. Flight delays have also spread to airports including Nashville, Dallas and Newark.
And some airports are already seeing an increase in the number of unexcused absences among security screeners. The union representing Transportation Security Administration employees has not yet seen major disruptions from absenteeism, but warned that long lines at security checkpoints could soon become a reality after employees received their final paychecks over the weekend.
Experts and union leaders say the disruption is yet another reminder that the aviation system is already stretched to its limits by chronic understaffing and outdated technology. They warn that cracks in the system could quickly deepen as the shutdown drags on and essential aviation workers no longer receive regular paychecks.
“It’s like having drought after drought,” Greg Reiff, CEO of Elevate Aviation Group, told The Associated Press.
the problem has been going on for years
These concerns are not new. In 2019, aviation systems buckled under the weight The 35-day government shutdown during President Donald Trump’s first term was the longest in U.S. history.
After three weeks, air traffic controllers, many of whom work up to 60 hours a week, sued the government for unpaid wages. One terminal at Miami International Airport was forced to close after a number of security personnel complained of feeling unwell. Some people quit completely.
“Years have passed and the problem hasn’t been resolved,” said Ricardo Martinez-Cid, an aviation lawyer certified by the Florida Bar and who regularly represents crash victims. “We are in a worse position now than when we were warned. We had the opportunity to address it.”
Since then, the country has faced repeated warnings. In January, a civilian jet and a military helicopter crashed over the Potomac River, killing 67 people. series of Equipment failure This year’s radar failure also highlighted the need for upgrades.
Controller shortage at “critical” points
Both the FAA and TSA were already dealing with staffing shortages before this shutdown. This includes a shortage of approximately 3,000 air traffic controllers.
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said staffing levels have reached a “crisis” point, the lowest in decades. The shortage is so severe that even the absence of even a few air traffic controllers could disrupt operations at already understaffed facilities.
“Moreover, they are working with unreliable equipment,” he said.
The shutdown began just as the FAA was beginning to make some progress in addressing the problem. Lack of controller and, outdated equipment They rely on it to continue disrupting flights when it fails.
The agency says exceeded the target It plans to hire 2,000 air traffic controllers this year after streamlining the application process at its Oklahoma City academy, but it will still take years to close the gap. And the company was just beginning its search for a company to help oversee a $12.5 billion effort to overhaul its aging and complex technology systems.
The current government shutdown has delayed long-needed efforts. Union leaders also say staffing shortages could get worse before the government reopens.
Closures could increase staffing shortages
Johnny Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees chapter that represents TSA employees, expressed concern that the shutdown could lead to more security screeners retiring, especially given the uncertainty employees have already faced this year. This includes the Trump administration’s attempts to take away collective bargaining rights.
Meanwhile, Mr Daniels warned that it could stoke fear among new air traffic controllers and trainees who might completely rethink their careers to avoid working in future closures.
It’s a long-standing concern. In 2019, after a 35-day shutdown ended, a Congressional committee hearing detailed the impact on air travel.
“All of these air traffic controllers and aviation safety experts were used as pawns in a political battle that had nothing to do with aviation. This is wrong and must never happen again,” warned union leaders representing air traffic controllers at the time.
The hearing also featured bipartisan calls for reforms that would maintain funding for the FAA “uninterrupted even when other parts of the government are shut down,” as one lawmaker put it. Stories were shared of air traffic controllers and TSA agents working long hours to fill staffing gaps while taking on additional work to pay rent, mortgages, and other bills.
Lawmakers and industry officials who testified agreed that the shutdown made aviation systems less safe.
“We ask that everyone involved heed not just our warning, but the warning of the entire stakeholder community. We have to stop this vicious cycle that starts and stops with little or no stability,” said Nick Cario, then-president and CEO of Airlines for America, a trade group representing airlines such as Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
But seven years later, the system remains vulnerable to shutdowns, Martinez-Cid said.
“I can’t wait for the wake-up call.”
___
Associated Press traffic writer Josh Funk contributed to this report.
