Government Shutdown Still Plaguing Airlines
Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford told U.S. senators on Wednesday that the recent 43-day government shutdown caused hundreds of air traffic controller trainees to abandon their training, adding pressure to an already understaffed aviation system.
Testifying before a Senate aviation subcommittee, Bedford said the FAA lost between 400 and 500 trainees during the funding lapse.
“We lost roughly 400 to 500 individuals who ultimately decided not to continue,” Bedford told lawmakers.
Pay Uncertainty Drove Trainees Out
Bedford explained that while the FAA managed to keep its air traffic control training academy in Oklahoma City operating during the shutdown, the uncertainty surrounding unpaid work proved too much for many trainees.
“Even though the school stayed open, the concern over not receiving a paycheck was enough to scare people away,” he said.
The shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — also forced active air traffic controllers to work without pay for more than six weeks, raising alarms at the time about morale, staffing levels, and long-term workforce retention.
FAA Working to Rebuild Controller Pipeline
Bedford acknowledged that the training program historically has a high attrition rate, but said the agency has taken steps to rebuild.
According to Bedford, the FAA now has 1,000 more trainees in the pipeline than it did a year ago, and the number of fully certified air traffic controllers has increased.
However, he cautioned that progress does not happen overnight.
“It’s a two- to three-year training cycle from entry to full certification,” Bedford told the committee.
Air Traffic Control Modernization Update
In addition to staffing concerns, Bedford provided an update on the FAA’s effort to modernize its communications infrastructure.
He said the agency remains on track to complete its transition from outdated copper wiring to fiber-optic systems by the third quarter of 2027.
“We’re about 35 percent of the way through that process,” Bedford said.
Long-Term Impact of Shutdowns
The testimony highlighted how prolonged government shutdowns can disrupt critical public safety systems, with consequences that extend well beyond Washington budget battles.
Aviation experts have warned that rebuilding staffing pipelines and modernizing infrastructure requires long-term stability — something difficult to achieve during extended funding lapses.
