The nation’s air traffic controllers are warning that the ongoing federal government shutdown is putting aviation safety at risk, as thousands of essential workers report for duty without pay.
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), said at a Tuesday briefing that controllers are moving more than 45,000 flights and 3 million passengers every day, even as they see the first disruptions to their paychecks. The strain, he said, is eroding focus in one of the most demanding jobs in public service.
“Today marks the first day that air traffic controllers have a completely different focus,” Daniels said. “They don’t know when they’ll get paid again. This introduces a new risk to aviation.”
Trending: HILARIOUS! They Just Made Another One!
The warning came as staffing shortages this week delayed
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!