The Federal Aviation Administration will award $10,000 bonuses to just 776 air traffic controllers and technicians who maintained perfect attendance during the 43-day government shutdown, leaving nearly 20,000 others without similar recognition.
According to The Associated Press, the agency announced the move Thursday, setting off frustration among frontline aviation workers who say the majority of those who kept the system running through the shutdown will be excluded.
As the shutdown stretched beyond a month, hundreds of controllers began missing shifts under the financial strain of working without pay. Some sought temporary jobs, while others couldn’t afford child care or transportation, leading to staffing shortages that triggered nationwide airport delays. At one point, the government ordered airlines to cut flights at 40 major airports to help stabilize the system.
President Donald Trump endorsed the bonus idea in a social media post, suggesting those who worked every day should be rewarded, and those who called out should see their pay reduced. FAA officials, however, have not announced any penalties for absences.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the bonuses recognize the “patriotic men and women” who did not miss a single shift. “Santa’s coming to town a little early,” he wrote on X, adding that their commitment “kept the flying public safe throughout the shutdown.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said only 311 of its more than 10,000 members will receive the money. While the union agreed that those workers earned recognition, it argued that many others deserved it as well.
“We are concerned that thousands of air traffic controllers who consistently reported for duty during the shutdown … were excluded from this recognition,” the union said. It noted that more than 311 controllers were “instrumental in keeping America moving.”
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union voiced similar concerns. Of the technicians who kept aging radar and computer systems operating, only 423 will get bonuses. “It took many hands to ensure that not one delay during the historic 43-day shutdown was attributed to equipment or system failures,” the union said.
Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen, ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, criticized the administration for limiting eligibility. “They all deserve a bonus and back pay,” he said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced a similar $10,000 bonus program for TSA officers who “went above and beyond” during the shutdown, but has not specified how many will qualify.
The FAA entered the shutdown with a severe controller shortage. During the crisis, some trainees quit, and veteran controllers retired. Many remaining controllers worked 10-hour shifts, six days a week. As absences increased, pilots reported concerns about controller responsiveness, and a number of runway incursions raised alarms among FAA safety officials.
Since the shutdown ended, staffing levels have improved, and airlines have been authorized to resume full schedules. The controllers’ union said it hopes to continue working with Duffy to find additional ways to recognize the thousands who kept the system functioning during one of the most stressful periods in recent aviation history.
