The longest government shutdown in American history has come to an end, but its aftershocks are still being felt in the nation’s airports and among the workers who kept the skies safe. In a move that’s sparked both gratitude and controversy, 776 air traffic controllers and technicians who achieved perfect attendance during the 43-day shutdown will receive a $10,000 bonus, according to a joint announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on November 20, 2025. Yet, nearly 20,000 other aviation workers who also toiled through the crisis will not see a dime of these rewards, leaving many to wonder—who gets recognized when the government grinds to a halt?
The shutdown, which began over a standoff about Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies, forced thousands of federal employees to work without pay. Air traffic controllers, deemed essential, clocked 10-hour days and six-day workweeks for two pay periods, all while facing mounting personal and financial pressures. The FAA, already strained by a shortage of about 3,000 controllers before the shutdown, was pushed to the brink; by November 7, 2025, it had limited flights at 40 major U.S. airports due to the staff shortfall. Flight restrictions were finally lifted on November 17, but not before widespread delays and disruptions had rippled across the country.
"This award is an acknowledgement of their dedication and a heartfelt appreciation for going above and beyond in service to the nation," Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in the official release. In a post on X, Duffy added a note of levity: "Santa's coming to town a little early." He continued, "These patriotic men and women never missed a beat and kept the flying public safe throughout the shutdown." According to the announcement, eligible workers will be notified the week after the release and should receive their $10,000 bonus by December 9.
But the reward comes with a catch: only those with “perfect attendance” during the shutdown qualify. That leaves the vast majority of the approximately 11,000 air traffic controllers who worked without pay—sometimes missing shifts for reasons as basic as child care or gas money—out of the running. Some found side jobs to make ends meet, while others simply couldn’t afford to show up. Their absences, while understandable, contributed to the delays and forced the government to cut flights at some of the nation’s busiest airports.
President Donald Trump, whose administration oversaw the shutdown, was the first to publicly suggest the bonuses for those who stayed on the job. In a social media post, he also floated the idea that controllers who missed work should have their pay docked, though FAA officials have not announced any such penalties. The DOT said the move to award bonuses was in response to the president’s "directive to honor air traffic personnel who came in to work day-in and day-out." The same $10,000 bonus was previously announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for TSA officers who went "above and beyond" while working without pay, although it remains unclear how many will actually qualify.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), which represents more than 10,000 controllers, voiced its support for recognizing those with perfect attendance but also expressed concern for the thousands excluded from the bonus. "We are concerned that thousands of air traffic controllers who consistently reported for duty during the shutdown, ensuring the safe transport of passengers and cargo across the nation, while working without pay and uncertain of when they would receive compensation, were excluded from this recognition. More than 311 of these dedicated professionals were instrumental in keeping America moving," the union said in a statement. Only 311 NATCA members will receive the bonus, a fraction of the total workforce.
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, representing thousands of FAA technicians, echoed these concerns. While 423 technicians will receive bonuses, thousands more worked tirelessly to keep the aging computer and radar systems operational during the shutdown. "It took many hands to ensure that not one delay during the historic 43-day shutdown was attributed to equipment or system failures," the union said, emphasizing that the recognition should extend beyond the select few.
Democratic lawmakers have also weighed in, questioning both the fairness of the bonus distribution and the administration’s handling of aviation safety during the shutdown. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois accused the Trump administration of playing politics with aviation safety, specifically questioning why the FAA and Secretary Duffy never shared the safety data used to justify cutting flights at 40 major airports. She also wondered why President Trump didn’t find a way to pay air traffic controllers, as was done for the military (with help from a private donor), during the funding lapse. Representative Rick Larsen, ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was blunt in his criticism: "For the Trump administration to not give a bonus to every single one of these hardworking women and men is wrong; they all deserve a bonus and back pay."
The shutdown’s impact on the aviation system was profound. As the crisis deepened and more controllers called out, delays became commonplace, and the government was forced to order airlines to reduce flights. The FAA’s decision to limit operations at 40 airports was based on both staff shortages and a desire to maintain safety—a move that drew scrutiny from lawmakers like Duckworth, who demanded transparency about the data behind those decisions.
Technicians, too, played a crucial role in keeping the system running. At least 6,600 FAA technicians were expected to work throughout the shutdown, with over 3,000 more on standby to be recalled if needed. Their efforts ensured that, despite the chaos, there were no delays attributed to equipment or system failures—a remarkable feat given the circumstances.
The FAA’s staffing crisis predates the shutdown, but the ordeal has only underscored the urgency of addressing it. Secretary Duffy has pledged to boost controller hiring and streamline the lengthy training process in hopes of eliminating the shortage over the next several years. Whether these efforts will succeed—and whether the agency can mend the morale of a workforce that feels divided by the bonus policy—remains to be seen.
As the dust settles, the $10,000 bonuses serve as both a thank-you and a lightning rod, highlighting the sacrifices of a select group while raising questions about how the government values essential workers in times of crisis. The debate over recognition, fairness, and the lessons learned from the shutdown is far from over, but for now, the skies are open and the nation’s air traffic controllers are, at last, getting paid.
