Industry groups are pressing Congress to confront the aviation fallout from the recent 43-day government shutdown as lawmakers prepare for Wednesday’s Senate aviation subcommittee hearing. Airlines for America told Reuters that rising controller absences contributed to disruptions that impacted an estimated 50,000 flights and 6 million passengers during the shutdown, while other organizations say the shutdown exposed vulnerabilities across the broader FAA workforce.
Ahead of the aviation hearing, the Center for Transportation Policy called on Congress to grant the FAA automatic access to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund during future budget standoffs. The group said the move would ensure controllers receive pay, towers remain staffed and essential operations continue even when other federal functions pause.
“The recent government shutdown exposed just how fragile our nation’s air traffic control system has become,” Jackson Shedelbower, CTP’s executive director, said. “By giving the FAA automatic access to its own trust fund when the lights go dark on Capitol Hill, lawmakers can ensure America’s skies don’t fall prey to future congressional games of chicken.”
Stakeholders also note that shutdown impacts extended beyond air traffic control. The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union, which represents technicians, inspectors and other personnel responsible for maintaining navigation systems and overseeing aircraft and pilot safety, was not included among scheduled witnesses for the aviation hearing. Observers told AVweb the omission may leave key shutdown-related strain unaddressed.
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