Trump tells air traffic controllers to return to work as flight cancellations jump

Reuters.com ^ | November 10, 20252:11 PM CST | David Shepardson

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Summary

• Trump threatens penalties for absent air traffic controllers
• FAA reports 20-40% of controllers have been absent at major airports
• Senate advances bill to end government shutdown

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday demanded air traffic controllers return to work as travelers endured another day of flight cancellations, which the administration ordered to manage staff shortages during the government shutdown.

Threatening to curtail the pay of any controller who did not go back, Trump said he would award those who have not taken time off during the 41-day shutdown $10,000 bonuses and would welcome the resignations of the rest.

"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."

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. Some are absent as they work second jobs or cannot afford child care.

Some 20% to 40% of controllers have been absent on any given day at the 30 biggest U.S. airports during the shutdown, the FAA said last week.

Shares of the biggest U.S. airlines, including American Airlines (AAL.O), Delta Airlines (DAL.N), and United Airlines (UAL.O), turned negative after Trump's social media post.

Officials said it was unclear how the White House could deny pay under the controllers' union contract once the government reopens, as Trump threatened, or how the president would pay for the proposed $10,000 bonuses.

Airlines canceled nearly 2,000 flights on Monday, and the number was set to rise as the FAA ordered flight cuts to step up to 10% on Friday. A winter storm in Chicago was also disrupting air travel.

FlightAware, a flight-tracking website,...

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TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: trump

[V_TWIN]

I guess nobody told ‘em last time President Reagan fired their asses.

[Zhang Fei]

PATCO part deux.

[Fledermaus]

I suggested this last week

[Flaming Conservative]

Apparently, some democrat regime allowed them to unionize.

[msrngtp2002]

Any that didn’t show up for work should not get back pay.

[SaxxonWoods]

I’m hearing that flying is normal. People say there are some delays, but then say, “There are always some delays, so what?”

[XRdsRev]

“I guess nobody told ‘em last time President Reagan fired their asses.”

Reagan fired Air Traffic Controllers because they went on an illegal strike (Federal employees are one of the few classifications of workers who legally are not allowed to strike).

You can’t fire someone for taking sick leave since they earned that leave and it is part of their pay. And if you did fire them, who do you propose would perform their work ??? We are already short of qualified controllers, more are retiring every week and it takes years of training and experience to work that kind of job in a high traffic region. 99% of people could not do that job.

[plain talk]

“FAA reports 20-40% of controllers have been absent at major airports”

Fire and replace every one of them.