A shutdown plan released by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on Thursday involves the furlough of more than 10,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) workers.
The plan also states 13,835 air traffic controllers will not receive pay during the shutdown, which follows an extensive shutdown from late last year that put a strain on the U.S. aviation system.
The ongoing partial government shutdown is set to continue until at least Tuesday, with House Democrats not committing to providing the votes necessary to fast-track approval of a funding package for the government to reopen.
“Portions of DOT are affected by a lapse in appropriations. Website information may be outdated, transactions may be delayed, and inquiries may not be answered until funding is restored,” a message on the DOT’s website currently reads.
Last year’s shutdown put a heavy strain on U.S. aviation, with more than 4,500 flights canceled for one weekend in mid-November. At one point, flights at 40 airports throughout the U.S. were reduced by 6 percent by the FAA.
There have also been wider concerns about American aviation in the last year due to multiple notable incidents involving aircraft, including a deadly collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight in January 2025.
On Saturday, President Trump said he hoped “enough people will use their heads” to quickly end the partial shutdown.
“I think it’s going fine,” Trump said of government funding.
“We had a big GDP. … I lost a point and a half because of the last [shutdown],” he said. “So, we’ll see what happens. I think the Democrats don’t want it to happen. Makes them look very bad, but it’s not a good thing for the country. So hopefully enough people will use their heads.”
