Air traffic president: Shutdown adds even more 'stress' to 'extremely fragile system'

When Democratic and GOP lawmakers in Congress were unable to reach a spending agreement by the end of September, a partial shutdown of the United States' federal government went into effect on October 1. Thousands of government employees are furloughed, while workers who are considered essential are required to report for work without pay — including air traffic controllers.

CNN, on October 1, warned that although "flights will continue to take off," the "aviation sector will be under duress — and that means most likely some delays and cancellations."

Two days later, on Friday morning, October 3, MSNBC's Ana Cabrera discussed the shutdown's effect on aviation with Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. And he warned travelers that the shutdown brings even more "stress" to an air traffic system that was already facing challenges.

When Cabrera asked Daniels what the "biggest concerns" of air traffic controllers are during the shutdown, he responded, "The main feeling is of the unknown, the distraction. We survived a 35-day government shutdown last time, and for many of the air traffic controllers, Day 1 of this shutdown (is) just reliving Day 35 of the last one. (It's) not knowing how to have the conversation at home of: When am I going to get paid again? Can I afford the insulin that I need? Can I make sure that my child's needs are being met, or that I have to pay off my tuition or other medical costs?"

Daniels continued, "So that fear, that uncertainty right now, is definitely reigning throughout all of our facilities through all the air traffic controllers."

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association president warned that the United States' air traffic control system "is already extremely fragile as it is" — and a shutdown only adds more "stress."

"It's understaffed by 3800 controllers, only 10,800 operating a system that should have 14,633," Daniels told Cabrera. "We see delays, you know, on the daily because we have equipment that isn't working properly. All of these issues come to light during a shutdown like this, and we have to stand out and talk about them."

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