Flight Delays May Worsen as Air Traffic Controllers Face Pay Issues Amid Shutdown

Air traffic controllers missed paychecks due to the ongoing government shutdown, raising concerns about increased flight delays as controller absences escalate across the nation.

• On Tuesday, air traffic controllers faced missed paychecks as the government shutdown continued, leading to heightened stress and potential sick calls among controllers nationwide.
• The Federal Aviation Administration reported that recent absences of air traffic controllers have already resulted in isolated flight delays at various airports across the country.
• Sean Duffy, a representative of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, emphasized that the ongoing government shutdowns in the United States exacerbate the existing shortage of controllers, threatening air travel reliability.