Why the FAA Could Face Major Disruptions in Shutdown

Here’s a detailed look at what will and won’t be affected at the agency as a potential government closure approaches on October 1.

Meg Godlewski

Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

FAA insignia on a laptop [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The government faces an imminent shutdown by October 1st, which will lead to the furlough of approximately 16,621 FAA employees.
Essential FAA operations will largely continue, including air traffic control (with controllers working without pay), maintenance of navigational aids, check rides, airmen medical certifications, and certain aircraft certification activities.
However, non-essential FAA functions will be suspended, such as air traffic controller hiring and field training, aviation rulemaking, and the development of next-generation technologies and safety standards.

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The government may shut down in less than a week as it runs out of funds at midnight on Wednesday, October 1.

In broad strokes, that means government-funded entities—like the Department of Transportation (DOT), which includes the FAA—won’t be financially supported and will be curtailing operations until a budget can be established. How long that takes is up to the lawmakers in Washington, D.C.