Controller Resignations ‘Growing by the Day,’ Union Says

‘Four to five’ have bowed out so far.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, November 10, 2025 at 12:06 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport [Credit: Mark Stebnicki/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

The federal government shutdown is significantly increasing resignations and retirements among U.S. air traffic controllers, exacerbating severe pre-existing staffing shortages.
Unpaid work and financial stress are compromising controllers' focus and ability to perform their critical duties, leading to immediate impacts like widespread flight cancellations and delays.
NATCA warns that continued controller losses will have severe, long-term consequences for the national airspace system, urging immediate congressional action to end the shutdown and compensate workers.

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The head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) sounded the alarm Monday on mounting resignations and absenteeism among U.S. air traffic controllers amid the ongoing federal government shutdown.

In a press conference at the union’s Washington, D.C., headquarters, NATCA president Nick Daniels said only a handful of controllers had formally resigned so far—“four to five that had already resigned and growing by the day.” According to Daniels, the full tally of controllers leaving via retirement or early exit due to the shutdown remains unknown.