Shutdown Strain: Aviation Safety at Risk and Sky-High Delays

The prolonged U.S. government shutdown is severely impacting the aviation industry, as hundreds of air traffic controllers resort to secondary jobs due to missed paychecks. Union officials warn that the ongoing deadlock poses growing risks to aviation safety as staffing shortages escalate.

Flight delays have surged due to staff shortages, with nearly 7,000 flights delayed on Monday and 8,800 on Sunday. At a press conference, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted that absences among air traffic controllers have exacerbated flight disruptions, urging an immediate resolution to the shutdown.

The shutdown has intensified scrutiny from the public and lawmakers, as flight cancellations and delays soar. With air traffic controllers facing increased workloads without pay, questions about aviation safety and pressure on lawmakers to end the shutdown continue to mount.