US President Donald Trump on Monday demanded that air traffic controllers return to work as travelers faced another day of flight cancellations, which the government ordered to manage staffing shortages during the government shutdown.
Threatening to reduce the pay of any controller who does not return, Trump said he would give a $10,000 bonus to those who did not take time off during the 41-day shutdown, and that he would accept the layoffs of the rest.
‘All air traffic controllers must return to work, NOW!!! Anyone who fails to do so will have their pay substantially reduced,’ Trump wrote on social media. ‘REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.’
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The US government shutdown, the longest in the country’s history, forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) agents to work without pay. Some are absent because they have a second job or cannot afford daycare for their children.
About 20% to 40% of controllers were absent on a given day at the 30 largest U.S. airports during the shutdown, the FAA said last week.
Shares of the largest U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines, turned negative following Trump’s social media post.
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Officials said it was unclear how the White House could deny payment under the controllers’ union contract once the government reopens, as Trump threatened, or how the president would pay for the $10,000 bonuses.
Airlines canceled about 2,000 flights on Monday, and that number is expected to increase as the FAA ordered flight cuts to increase to 10% on Friday. A winter storm in Chicago was also hampering air travel.
FlightAware, a flight tracking website, reported that as of 3 p.m. EDT, 5,825 flights were also delayed on Monday, after 2,950 flights were canceled and nearly 11,200 were delayed on Sunday — the worst day for flight disruptions since the government shutdown began on Oct. 1.
Asked about Trump’s comments, National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels said on Monday that controllers would appreciate any recognition. ‘We will work with the administration…. Air traffic controllers will continue to report during this shutdown,’ he said.
Airlines called for quick passage of a bill the U.S. Senate voted on Sunday to reopen the government. It was unclear when Duffy would lift the flight restrictions.
“The government shutdown must end, as must the disruption caused to our customers and federal employees who are being forced to work without pay,” said Southwest Chief Executive Bob Jordan.
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American Airlines said more than 250,000 customer flights were canceled or delayed over the weekend. “This is simply unacceptable and everyone deserves better,” American chief operating officer David Seymour told employees.
