There were enough supervisors and non striking controller to fill in and there was not nearly the air traffic that there is today.
There is currently a 2000 controller shortage even before the shutdown began and the existing controllers were putting in overtime.
Different era.
“There is currently a 2000 controller shortage even before the shutdown began and the existing controllers were putting in overtime.”
Not that it matters for this particular subject, but wouldn’t you say that the major reason for the shortfall is someone high up one day decided that the control tower was “too white”?
Is it not also true that in order to get the ‘right’ people in there the standards had to be lowered; training tests were compromised?
But that does not change the facts that your outlined earlier, I know.