(UNITED STATES) America’s air traffic controllers are working without pay as the government shutdown drags on, missing their first full paycheck on October 28, 2025, and facing hard choices about how to keep their families afloat. The human toll is stark: controllers describe grueling schedules of six days a week, 10 hours a day, second jobs taken at night, and bedrooms turned into makeshift offices for spouses scrambling to add income.
While flights continue and the system remains safe, the strain on people who manage the nation’s skies is mounting, with no clear end in sight or certainty about when promised back pay will arrive.
Personal and family impacts
Union officials say the personal impact is becoming impossible to ignore. “America’s air traffic controllers are showing up every day to keep the system safe, even as they receive $0 paychecks. This is not sustainable for our members or their families,” said NATCA President Nick Daniels.
- 2,350 NATCA-represented aviation safety professionals have been furloughed, halting safety and modernization projects that were underway before the funding impasse.
- Controllers who remain on the job must balance duty and survival, and many fear that exhaustion could become a safety risk if the crisis continues.
Inside living rooms and control rooms, families are counting every dollar. One controller told CBS News, “I’m worried about how I’m going to pay my mortgage next month. My wife is looking for extra work, and we’re considering taking out a loan from our credit union just to get by.”
- Credit unions have stepped in with special programs for federal employees. Controllers say these loans are a lifeline but not a long-term fix.
- Families report cutting back on groceries, postponing medical care, and dipping into savings intended for college or retirement.
“Controllers are exhausted. Some are calling in sick so they can work second jobs. Others are relying on food banks and community support. The stress is affecting their health and their families.”
— Southern Regional Vice President Dan McCabe
Work realities and coping strategies
On the job, the moral weight is heavy. Reuters and The Independent report that at least hundreds of controllers have taken second jobs since the shutdown began, showing how quickly a missed paycheck can unravel a household budget.
Airlines and airport organizations have tried to help by providing meals at airports for workers on duty. Controllers appreciate these gestures, even as they worry about rent and childcare due in the coming weeks.
Common coping measures include:
- Applying for short-term loans from credit unions
- Using community food banks and church pantries
- Accepting second jobs (retail, delivery, etc.) often at night
- Relying on family, friends, or neighbors for childcare
- Postponing elective medical care and tapping retirement/college savings
Daily uncertainty and morale
The daily uncertainty creates its own fatigue: watching bank balances, refreshing agency portals, and answering questions from children.
One controller told NBC News, “My kids keep asking why I’m so tired and why we can’t go out to eat anymore. I don’t know what to tell them except that I’m doing my best to keep planes safe and hope this ends soon.”
That limbo extends to back pay, which federal guidance generally provides after shutdowns end but cannot be used today to cover immediate expenses. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management explains furlough and pay rules during shutdowns; many federal workers regularly consult that resource as they plan around missed wages and delayed reimbursements. Readers can find details at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management furlough guidance.
Public outreach and visibility
At major hubs, the frustration has moved from break rooms to terminal corridors. Controllers are “leafleting” at 22 major airports nationwide, speaking with travelers about how the shutdown affects the people who keep planes moving.
- These conversations are described as respectful and often emotional.
- Passengers share stories about missed medical appointments and delayed family trips.
- Controllers explain they are working without pay and do not know when the next check will come.
- For many controllers, engaging travelers is a way to keep public attention on the issue.
Operational and long-term impacts
Behind the scenes, the shutdown has paused critical work that doesn’t make headlines but matters for the future:
- Modernization projects are idle
- Training schedules are disrupted
- Review boards and upgrades are delayed
With 2,350 aviation safety professionals furloughed, NATCA warns that every week of downtime pushes important safety improvements further into the future, often requiring months to restart and re-staff.
Controllers emphasize they remain committed to safety, but extended fatigue, demoralization, and financial pressure are concrete workplace realities that could ripple across teams and facilities if the shutdown persists.
The impossible choice
For many controllers, the choice is stark:
- Keep reporting for duty and hope back pay arrives soon.
- Call in sick to earn money elsewhere and risk disciplinary action that could end a career built over years.
This dilemma keeps many at their posts despite personal crises. As one veteran controller shared with local colleagues: the job is a promise — show up, keep people safe, and hand off flights to the next sector with the same care. The question is how long can that promise be kept while paychecks read $0.
Broader ripple effects
Public sympathy appears to be growing as personal stories surface. Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests prolonged shutdowns widen the circle of affected workers beyond those officially furloughed — pulling in contractors, trainees, and community businesses that rely on stable federal operations.
In aviation, those effects include:
- Paused simulator time
- Delayed replacements
- Quiet cancellations of upgrades that would have improved reliability
Families feel these effects as missed overtime, thinner schedules, and shrinking savings.
Closing note
Controllers say they don’t want praise or hero labels — they want the paycheck they’ve already earned and a path back to normal that lets their families breathe again. Day after day they return to dim radar rooms and tower cabs, managing arrivals and departures while thinking about utility bills and rent due next week. The personal, operational, and long-term stakes are high, and the outcome will shape the lives of safety professionals and the future of the national aviation system.
This Article in a Nutshell
Air traffic controllers began working without pay after missing their October 28, 2025 paycheck as a government shutdown continued. About 2,350 NATCA-represented safety professionals were furloughed, pausing critical modernization and training work. Controllers remaining on duty report six-day, 10-hour schedules, second jobs, and severe financial strain, relying on credit-union loans, community food banks, and postponed medical care. Airports and airlines provide limited aid, but uncertainty over back pay and long-term operational impacts persists, risking fatigue and delayed safety improvements.
