13,294 Air Traffic Controllers Work Unpaid as Sick Calls Spike and Delays Mount

By October 28, 2025, all 13,294 FAA air traffic controllers were working without pay as the shutdown entered its fourth week, and sick call rates rose sharply above normal levels. Flight delays and cancellations at major airports increased as understaffed control towers struggled to maintain normal traffic flow. Congress had blocked emergency FAA funding legislation, leaving aviation safety in a precarious state.