As the government shutdown reaches Day 28, air traffic controllers and other unpaid federal aviation workers are facing financial hardships. In response, several airlines have stepped in to provide meals for these essential workers who missed their first full paycheck.
United Airlines has announced its initiative to support air traffic controllers during this challenging time, stating, “United is donating meals for air traffic controllers and other federal workers whose pay is delayed. We appreciate the hardworking federal employees who are keeping the air travel system running.”
The airline is distributing meals at its hubs across the country, including major cities such as Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Delta Air Lines has also confirmed its efforts to support transportation sector workers by arranging a limited number of meals, adhering to the strict regulations established for federal employees.
JetBlue is collaborating with federal partners, including local aviation officials, to coordinate meal offerings at airports as a gesture of support. The airline is working closely with the Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Federal Aviation Administration to facilitate these efforts.
During a press conference at LaGuardia Airport in New York, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed the financial struggles faced by air traffic controllers amidst the ongoing shutdown. He emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “This is day one. Day two gets harder, and day three is harder after that, as expenses continue to roll in.”
Many air traffic controllers have been calling in sick at higher rates than usual, some seeking temporary work through gig platforms like Uber or DoorDash to cope with their financial strains during the shutdown.
Nick Daniels, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, echoed these concerns, highlighting the emotional toll on his members. “Air traffic controllers have to have 100% focus 100% of the time,” he stated. “I’m watching air traffic controllers going to work, worried about paying for medicine for their daughter. I received a message from a controller that said, ‘I’m running out of money. And if she doesn’t get the medicine she needs, she dies. That’s the end.'”
Statistics this year show that an average of 5% of flight delays were attributed to air traffic controller shortages. According to Secretary Duffy, workforce shortages at various airports accounted for approximately 44% of the 8,700 flight delays reported on a recent Sunday, while making up 24% of delays on Monday.
In an effort to raise awareness about their plight, air traffic controllers are planning to gather outside at least 17 airports nationwide to distribute leaflets urging an end to the government shutdown.
Joe Segretto, an air traffic controller at a regional radar facility in the New York area, shared his perspective at the LaGuardia event: “The pressure is real. We have people trying to keep these airplanes safe. We have trainees that are trying to learn a new job that is very fast-paced, very stressful, and very complex, now having to worry about how they’re going to pay bills.”
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