What Happened
Aviation Safety Functions Continue Under Contingency Plans
The Federal Aviation Administration has placed over 10,000 employees on furlough as a partial US government shutdown entered its first full workweek. Despite the shutdown, air traffic control operations and other core safety functions continue under contingency plans, with roughly 13,800 air traffic controllers classified as ’excepted’ employees and remaining on duty without pay. The shutdown has raised concerns about the impact on the national airspace system, particularly given the strain caused by a similar shutdown in late 2025. According to AeroTime, the FAA does not expect immediate operational impacts, but has warned that some transactions and responses to public inquiries could be delayed if the shutdown persists.