JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The federal government shutdown has left air traffic controllers in Jacksonville potentially working without pay, adding financial stress to an already demanding job, said Dan McCabe, regional vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association Southern Region.
“These people go to work every day. They deal with stress. It’s what they’re trained to do,” McCabe said.
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“But now, they’re done being paid. They got their partial paycheck two weeks ago. They’ll get a zero paycheck next, and financial stress is creeping into the building.”
Despite the shutdown, McCabe emphasized that operations remain normal.
“No reduced hours, no consolidating positions. It’s business as usual. People are still being trained.”
The air traffic control industry faces a staffing crisis, with a nationwide shortage of 3,800 fully certified controllers out of about 14,000 needed, according to McCabe.
“It’s a two to three year process to get fully certified,” McCabe explained.
He offered a simple analogy to explain the impact of being short on controllers: “It’s like going to a grocery store, right? And instead of six checkout lines open, maybe four checkout lines open. You’re still getting your groceries. You may wait a little longer.”
“Safety is static. You can’t let safety fall by any margin. Efficiency is what changes,” McCabe said. “If you’re short on controllers but demand is still there, there are going to be delays.”
To watch the full interview with Dan McCabe on the challenges air traffic controllers face amid the federal shutdown and staffing shortages, along with conversations with Ron Salem on Jacksonville’s health care fund deficit and Michelle McManamon on Operation New Uniform’s veteran career readiness programs, tune in to This Week in Jacksonville.