As the government shutdown continues, air traffic controllers prepare to receive their second blank paycheck on Tuesday and aviation safety regulators have taken further steps to limit air travel.
Having reduced commercial flights at 40 of the nation's busiest airports starting on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded private jets and other “general aviation” flights at 12 airports starting Sunday night.
Seattle-Tacoma International is included in both directives but, so far, the reductions have not had a major impact. Most private flights are encouraged to land at nearby Boeing Field, which has not been impacted by the FAA’s travel reductions.
Major commercial airlines canceled 5% of departures at Sea-Tac Monday, according to the aviation analytics company Cirium. The airport normally sees about 1,100 to 1,300 flights depart or arrive each day.
Other airports saw larger service reductions, with carriers canceling 24% of flights departing from Chicago O'Hare, 16% from Boston Logan International and 15% from La Guardia International.
On Monday, airlines cut four flights to Sea-Tac from Portland and three from Salt Lake City. Carriers also cut three flights each from Sea-Tac to Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and Portland.
On the FAA’s new directive limiting private air travel, Sea-Tac only sees one to five private flights taking off or landing per day, according to Port of Seattle spokesperson Perry Cooper.
General aviation includes privately owned aircraft and other nonscheduled flights. It accounts for 90% of the aircraft registered in the U.S., according to the FAA. The regulator’s order includes exceptions for emergency, medical, law enforcement or military flights.
Greg Raiff, the CEO of travel consulting firm Elevate Aviation Group, said both FAA directives are unprecedented — and both speak “to how concerned they are about overloaded controllers.”
Air traffic controllers, who are required to continue working during the shutdown without pay, were already stretched thin as the industry has struggled to hire and certify enough workers to manage the crowded airspace.
Now as air traffic controllers collect a second blank paycheck, the overworked controllers are facing even more stressors, said Nick Daniels, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, a union representing 10,800 controllers around the country.
At a news conference Monday, Daniels said some workers are starting to call in sick because they can’t afford child care during their shift or to fill up their gas tank for their commute. Others are retiring while newly certified controllers are resigning for other career paths, Daniels said, without having any specific numbers to share.
“For decades, air traffic controllers have held the line through staffing shortages, outdated equipment, hiring freezes, terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, pandemics and every crisis that this country has lived through,” Daniels said. “But now they must focus on child care instead of traffic flow, food for their families instead of runway separations.”
Air traffic controllers are continuing to work hard to ensure the safety of the flying public, Daniels continued, but the financial strain is a distraction and extra stressor for a job that requires workers to have “perfect decision making” at all times.
Daniels and Raiff said it will take time after the government reopens before air travel would return to normal.
When the government shut down for 34 days in 2019, Daniels said controllers weren't made whole for missed compensation until two and a half months after the government reopened.
President Donald Trump urged controllers on Monday to get back to work, NOW!!!," calling for a $10,000 bonus for workers who stayed on the job and docking pay for those who did not.
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, responded with his own request for the president to guarantee air traffic controllers will receive back pay once the government reopens.
The women and men working long hours in air traffic control towers to keep the aviation system running deserve our thanks and appreciation, not unhinged attacks on their patriotism,” Larsen said in a statement.
As of Monday evening, 51 flights scheduled for Tuesday to and from Sea-Tac were canceled, and 36 were canceled Wednesday, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight delays and cancellations.
More cancellations are likely, as the FAA said carriers must increase reductions to 6% by Tuesday morning, 8% by Thursday, and 10% Friday, continuing at that rate until the government shutdown ends.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said flight cancellations could rise to 20% if the government shutdown continues Friday — a rate that could affect millions of travelers as the busy Thanksgiving travel season approaches.
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