Trump orders air traffic controllers back as flight cancellations surge

REUTERS/ANNABELLE GORDON

Flight timings and cancellations are displayed on the departures board, a month into the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on Sunday.

WASHINGTON >> President Donald Trump demanded air traffic controllers return to work today as government-directed flight cuts and air traffic staffing absences continue to wreak havoc with U.S. air travel.

Trump added that he will reward those who did not take any time off during the 41-day federal government shutdown, but it is not clear how many controllers could qualify. Trump said he would welcome the resignation of those who took time off.

“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,’” Trump wrote on social media. “REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY.”

Shares of the biggest U.S. airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines, turned negative after Trump’s social media post. The shutdown has led to shortages of air traffic controllers who, like other federal employees, have not been paid for weeks. Officials said it is unclear under the controllers’ union contract how they could be docked or what the source of the $10,000 bonus Trump proposed.

Last week, Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford said 20-40% of controllers were not showing up for work on any given day at the 30 largest U.S. airports since the shutdown began. Staffing issues worsened over the weekend and Saturday was the worst single staffing day since the shutdown began, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday.

Asked about Trump’s comments, National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels said Monday the union would appreciate anything that recognizes controllers and “we’ll work with the administration on any issues that are out there. Air traffic controllers will continue to show up during this shutdown.” Airlines canceled 1,700 U.S. flights today, numbers set to worsen this week after the FAA mandated flight cuts set to rise to 10% Friday. FlightAware, a flight tracking website, said by 11:30 a.m. ET (1630 GMT), 3,480 flights were also delayed Monday after 2,950 flights were canceled and nearly 11,200 were delayed Sunday in the single worst day for flight disruptions since the government shutdown began on October 1.

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A November winter storm in Chicago is also disrupting air travel.

The shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay.

The FAA is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing levels. Many had been working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the shutdown. Duffy has offered incentives to retain more retirement-eligible controllers as he works to speed hiring while also launching a $12.5 billion effort to overhaul air traffic control.

The FAA late Sunday also said it was suspending general aviation traffic at 12 airports with air traffic control staffing issues, including Chicago O’Hare and Reagan Washington National.

The U.S. Senate voted to advance a bill to end the government shutdown late on Sunday. The FAA instructed airlines to cut 4% of daily flights starting last week at 40 major airports because of air traffic control safety concerns. Reductions in flights are mandated to reach 6% on Tuesday and then hit 10% by November 14.

One big question for airlines is when the FAA will lift the government-required flight cuts. Duffy has said he first wants to see air traffic control staffing and safety data improve.

See more:National newsPolitics

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