During the ongoing federal government shutdown, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy publicly warned that air traffic controllers who fail to report for duty—especially those calling in sick as a form of protest—could be dismissed.
Duffy emphasized that while the vast majority (around 90–95%) of controllers continue to work without pay, even a small number of absences can ripple through the system and cause major delays.
He told Fox Business that “if we have some on our staff that aren’t dedicated … we’re going to let them go,” and insisted that “I can’t have people not showing up to work.”
The shutdown has already triggered staffing-related delays in airports including Chicago, Nashville, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and Burbank. Under normal conditions, staffing issues account for about 5% of delays — amid the shutdown, that figure has surged to roughly 53%.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) has called on its members to maintain professionalism and continue working, warning that organized absences could be illegal and subject to disciplinary action.
Duffy’s remarks come as the FAA already faces a substantial staffing shortfall—about 3,500 controllers below target levels. To close that gap, the DOT plans to hire more than 8,900 new controllers by 2028.
