Forty-four years after President Ronald Reagan famously fired more than 11,000 striking air traffic controllers, the United States finds itself once again grappling with a crisis in the control towers. As the federal government shutdown drags into mid-October 2025, the country’s airspace is feeling the strain. Delays are mounting, tempers are flaring, and the ghosts of past labor showdowns are haunting both the skies and the halls of government.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking on October 9, 2025, delivered a stark warning to air traffic controllers: those who refuse to work without pay during the shutdown—by calling in sick or skipping shifts—could lose their jobs. “If we have some of our staff that aren’t dedicated like we need, we’ll let them go,” Duffy said during an appearance on Fox Business, as reported by Fox Business and echoed across major outlets. He called out a “small fraction” of controllers whose absences have led to “massive disruption,” stressing, “They can create this massive disruption. And that’s what you’re seeing rippling through our skies today.”
The numbers back up Duffy’s claim. More than 90% of air traffic controllers have continued to show up for work despite not receiving paychecks—an impressive display of professionalism under pressure. Yet even a handful of absences have proven enough to send shockwaves through the system. According to CNN, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is already critically understaffed, a problem rooted in the seismic labor shakeup of 1981. As a result, when controllers call in sick, the impact is immediate and far-reaching.
This week, delays were reported at both smaller airports, such as those in Burbank, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, and at major hubs including Newark, New Jersey, Chicago, Denver, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Normally, staffing issues account for about 5% of flight delays nationwide. But right now, staffing shortages are responsible for a staggering 50% of delays, according to CNN and Diario AS. That’s a tenfold increase, and it’s hitting travelers and airlines hard.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing controllers, has found itself in a delicate position. On one hand, it’s urging its members to keep working through the shutdown. “We must be clear. NATCA does not condone a coordinated activity that disrupts the national airspace system or damages our reputation. Such actions are illegal. Risk your careers and destroy our ability to effectively advocate for you and your families,” said Mick Devine, NATCA’s executive vice president, in a video message to members. The union also emphasized that there are established procedures for addressing inappropriate use of sick leave, underscoring its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the system.
Yet, the union’s leaders are not blind to the hardships their members face. NATCA President Nick Daniels acknowledged the financial strain controllers are under, stating that some may need to take time off to work second jobs just to cover basic expenses during the shutdown. “It’s going to eventually be that when people don’t have money, they have time to start making life choices and life decisions. And it shouldn’t be waiting for air traffic controllers to break because of having to take out loans, credit card debt, paying bills, gas, groceries, mortgages. Those things aren’t going to stop,” Daniels said, according to Fox Business.
The stress on controllers is nothing short of immense. Air traffic control is widely regarded as one of the most stressful jobs in the world. It takes anywhere from two to five years to train a controller, and they must retire by age 56. Entry-level trainees earn about $50,000 a year, while experienced Certified Professional Controllers can make between $135,000 and $190,000 annually, according to CNN. But no amount of salary can erase the anxiety of working without pay—or the fear of being fired for missing a shift when bills pile up.
For many, this moment feels like déjà vu. The 1981 mass firing by Reagan, after nearly 13,000 controllers walked out over failed contract talks, fundamentally changed federal labor policy and left the FAA chronically understaffed for decades. During that crisis, the government scrambled to keep planes flying by bringing in supervisors, military controllers, and non-striking personnel. The scars of that era have never fully healed. “The ghosts of that decision are on the radar screens once again,” wrote Bloomberg, noting that today’s standoff reopens old wounds and exposes the fragile underpinnings of the nation’s air traffic system.
Controllers are classified as essential employees, meaning they are legally required to work during a government shutdown, even if paychecks stop. That legal obligation doesn’t make the situation any easier. As one former controller, Chris Gallant, recalled in a tweet on October 10, 2025, “I remember what it felt like to work day after day without knowing when my next paycheck would come.” It’s a sentiment echoed by many in the profession, past and present.
Still, Duffy and the Department of Transportation are holding firm. A spokesperson for the department reinforced on October 10 that “if there are rare bad actors that don’t show up purposefully and cause disruptions to our operations, consequences are inevitable.” Duffy himself has made addressing the controller shortage a top priority, aiming to ramp up hiring and close the staffing gap over the next few years. But, as he bluntly put it, “We need more controllers, but we need the best and the brightest, the dedicated controllers, and if we have some on our staff that aren’t dedicated like we need, we’re going to let them go.”
For now, the standoff continues. Flight disruptions caused by controller absences are adding pressure on Congress to reach a deal and end the shutdown—a dynamic that played out in 2019 and could repeat itself. Yet, the political gridlock shows no sign of easing. Both Democrats and Republicans remain entrenched, with little movement toward compromise.
As passengers wait in crowded terminals and controllers juggle safety with personal hardship, the country is left to wonder: how long can the system hold? The lessons of history are clear, but the path forward remains clouded by uncertainty, fatigue, and the ever-present hum of radar screens scanning the skies.
