The Indicator from Planet Money

Can air traffic controllers keep calm and carry on — without pay?

November 7, 2025

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  • Air traffic controllers become a significant political pressure point during government shutdowns because delays caused by their absence immediately impact the public, leading to pressure on lawmakers to resolve the impasse. 
  • Air traffic controllers, like Nicholas Matthews interviewed in this episode of The Indicator from Planet Money, face immense stress from their high-stakes job, which is compounded by the financial anxiety of working without pay during the longest government shutdown on record. 
  • The FAA is already understaffed by approximately 4,000 controllers, meaning experienced workers like Nicholas Matthews have been working six-day weeks since 2021, making the added stress of lost income during the shutdown a dangerous combination for aviation safety. 

Segments

Co-host Introduction and Jobs Data
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(00:00:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Government shutdown prevents the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report, forcing reliance on private sector estimates like ADP and Revellio Labs.
  • Summary: Stephen Basaha joins as a co-host for three months. Due to the government shutdown, the official BLS jobs report is unavailable for the second month. ADP reported private employers added 42,000 jobs in October, while Revellio Labs, which includes public sector jobs, indicated a loss of 9,000 jobs.
Air Traffic Controller Spotlight
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(00:01:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Air traffic controllers are highlighted as a critical federal job whose absence due to non-payment during a shutdown creates immediate, visible public disruption, such as long TSA lines.
  • Summary: The administration announced traffic cutting at busy airports due to staffing issues, focusing attention on air traffic controllers who keep aircraft safely separated. Approximately 13,000 controllers are working without pay. This job has taken on outsize political influence, as seen in previous shutdowns.
Political Narrative of Shutdowns
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(00:03:45)
  • Key Takeaway: Air traffic delays serve as the clearest, immediate pain point that forces the public to care about a shutdown, thereby pushing lawmakers toward a resolution.
  • Summary: Professor Sarah Binder notes that air traffic delays provide the tangible spillover needed to engage the public in the political blame game. In 2019, an FAA ground stop due to controller shortages at LaGuardia ended the shutdown that same day, cementing the narrative that controllers resolved the impasse. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association rejects being cast as the ‘shutdown saviors.’
Controller Stress and Voice
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(00:05:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The job demands a consistently level tone of voice from controllers, as pilots react to vocal cues, making external stress a direct threat to professional communication.
  • Summary: Controller Nicholas Matthews, working at Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport, emphasizes the need for calm and steady communication. He maintains a very level tone at work to ensure pilots respond appropriately, contrasting with casual speech. Matthews previously served in the Air Force before joining the FAA in 2014.
Shutdown Financial Impact
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(00:07:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Controllers are legally required to work without pay, and the current shutdown, the longest on record, is forcing them to stretch limited funds without an end date in sight.
  • Summary: Nicholas Matthews experienced the previous 35-day shutdown and notes the current one has surpassed that length. Controllers missed entire paychecks, leading to financial strain, though Matthews utilized a zero-interest loan due to his veteran status. The combination of fatigue from long hours and income anxiety is described as a dangerous combination.
Staffing Shortages and Fatigue
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(00:09:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The FAA is critically understaffed by about 4,000 controllers, meaning experienced staff like Matthews have been working six-day weeks since 2021, exacerbating fatigue risks during the shutdown.
  • Summary: The union states the FAA needs 4,000 more controllers than its current 11,000 staff members. Matthews has been working six-day weeks since 2021 due to this shortage. This existing fatigue, combined with financial stress, forces controllers to self-evaluate their readiness to ensure they can responsibly manage safety each day.