USA 
United Kingdom
As the government shutdown drags into its fifth week, airline executives are pleading for an end to it, saying that it is "unacceptable" that air traffic controllers are working without pay, particularly heading into the busy holiday season.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the standoff is “putting stress on people” and “putting stress on the economy.”
He added, “It’s not fair to those people. Airlines are a pretty good real-time indicator of the economy, and we start to see, still minor, but steep booking impact. And you see that happening in the economy. We put the whole economy at risk.”
Kirby and other industry leaders, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu, and American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, met with Vice President JD Vance to discuss the growing impact on aviation.
Kirby called for bipartisan support for a “clean continuing resolution” to reopen the government.
American Airlines said in a statement that having air traffic controllers work without pay was “unacceptable" and urged lawmakers to act quickly.
“Congress needs to reach a bipartisan agreement to re-open the government as quickly as possible to pay our air traffic controller, TSA, and CBP colleagues,” it said. “A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations, and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better.”
Controllers face burnout as flights delayed
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown began. Designated as essential workers, many are now logging six-day weeks that stretch to 60 hours or more.
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said the situation has become dire. “It’s a world where they are now not only leaning on each other, they’re leaning on getting other jobs, going to their primary job in the day, and then in the evening, going out and having to do some level of a secondary job,” Daniels said.
Before the shutdown, 91% of air traffic control centers were already operating below the Federal Aviation Administration’s recommended staffing levels. The disruption has intensified the strain, with some controllers calling in sick in protest at unpaid work.
Flightaware.com data showed more than 7,300 flight delays and over 1,250 cancellations across US airports on Thursday.
Economic losses mount as shutdown nears record
The funding lapse, now entering its 34th day, is on track to tie the longest in US history when the Senate reconvenes. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown will wipe out nearly $14billion in GDP that cannot be recovered.
More than 700,000 government employees remain unpaid, while others - including ICE agents - continue to receive pay checks.
A Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that 45% of adults blame former President Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, one-third fault Democrats, and 22% were unsure.
Aside from concerns about flight safety, with so many traffic control centers understaffed, the continued shutdown is obviously having an impact on worker welfare. “It’s putting stress on people,” Kirby said. “And it’s putting stress on the economy.”
