Trump Warns of Salary Reductions for Striking Air Traffic Controllers

An additional 2,300 US flights were cancelled on Monday as President Donald Trump threatened pay reductions for air traffic controllers calling in sick amid the government shutdown.

Trump criticized absent aviation workers as unpatriotic, prompting the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) to praise members working without pay as “unsung heroes” and urge Congress to end the shutdown immediately. “Enough is enough,” the union said.

The situation underscores growing pressure on the aviation sector as the record-breaking shutdown reached day 41. The air traffic control system, already strained by understaffing, now faces a surge in passengers with Thanksgiving travel approaching.

In addition to Monday’s cancellations, over 8,700 flights involving US airports were delayed, according to FlightAware, while more than 1,100 flights scheduled for Tuesday have already been scrapped. Last week, the administration ordered 10 per cent flight reductions at dozens of major airports due to “staffing triggers.”

Trump took to social media to warn that controllers who do not return to work “will be substantially ‘docked’” and called for all air traffic controllers to get back to work immediately. He also proposed a $10,000 bonus for “GREAT PATRIOTS” who remained on duty during the shutdown.

Union president Nick Daniels described a potential congressional deal as a “step in the right direction,” stressing that air traffic controllers should not be used as political leverage during the shutdown. NATCA released a statement praising controllers for continuing to perform one of the most demanding jobs in the world without pay, often working six-day weeks and ten-hour days.

Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen criticized Trump’s comments, calling them “nuts” and highlighting the dedication of controllers keeping the aviation system operational.

Trump later reiterated the bonus proposal during a Fox News interview but admitted uncertainty over funding sources, saying, “I don’t know. I’ll get it from someplace…I always get the money from someplace.”

Prospects for ending the longest shutdown in US history improved as enough Senate Democrats joined Republicans to pass a government funding bill through January. However, Daniels cautioned that after a 2019 shutdown, it took two and a half months for all controllers to receive back pay, raising concerns about what will happen when the next funding bill expires on January 30.

Controllers like Amy Lark, who attended the NATCA event, described the personal toll of missed paychecks. “Yesterday, my kids asked me how long we could stay in our house. Having to answer that question was heartbreaking,” she said.

The shutdown and staffing cutbacks are also affecting travelers. At Miami International Airport, passenger Jack Nicks said, “I have other friends who are flying today. They’ve already had three flight changes. So it’s a little rough.”