WASHINGTON — Major pilots associations are calling on Congress to end the government shutdown, citing the “strain” on the United States aviation system as the shutdown drags into its twenty-fourth day.
During Thursday’s White House Press Briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt highlighted that the Thanksgiving holiday is approaching, warning that the White House fears “there will be significant flight delays, disruptions and cancellations across the country this holiday season.”
“If Democrats continue to shut down the government, they will also be shutting down American air travel,” Leavitt warned. There are about 13,000 air traffic controllers who are considered “essential” workers and are currently working without pay due to the shutdown. TSA agents are also having to work without pay.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (which represents 11,000 Southwest Airlines pilots), the Airline Pilots Association (which represents 80,000 pilots), the Allied Pilots Association (which represents 16,000 American Airlines pilots), and the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (which represents 3,700 pilots who fly for the private company NetJets) are all issuing statements begging lawmakers to end the shutdown ahead of the holidays.
The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association and the Airline Pilots Association put out public statements, while USA Today reported that NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots and the Allied Pilots Association both called for the shutdown to end as well. Additionally, the Regional Airline Association (RAA) and the Modern Skies Coalition spoke out against the shutdown in late September.
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“Considering the strain on our nation’s aviation system, SWAPA strongly urges Congress to pass a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government,” said Captain Jody Reven, the president of Southwest Airlines Pilot Association (SWAPA).
“Our air traffic controllers and the broader air traffic system are already operating under immense pressure — a government shutdown only compounds that stress and threatens the efficiency of our skies as we see the impact of reduced controller availability at facilities across the country,” he added. “Likewise, TSA professionals continue to show up every day to safeguard the traveling public, even without pay. These men and women deserve our full support and the certainty of a paycheck.”
“We have seen the stress and tension this year on the National Airspace System due to short-staffed air traffic controllers,” argued the Coalition of Airline Pilot Associations in a statement to USA Today. “This shutdown only compounds the pressures they face as they now report to work without a paycheck.”
The Air Line Pilots Association also said this week that the shutdown is “undermining our system’s safety.”
“Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech & strain grows daily,” the association said in an X post. “Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to end the shutdown.”
This shutdown is undermining our system’s safety. Resources are stretched thin, negotiations delayed tech & strain grows daily. Show your solidarity with those still on the job—ATC, TSA, techs—keeping aviation safe without pay. It’s time for Congress to #EndTheShutdown. pic.twitter.com/TXFRiUcrOy
— Air Line Pilots Association (@ALPAPilots) October 21, 2025
On Thursday morning, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stressed to The Daily Wire that Democrats believe they are benefitting from the shutdown — and thus refuse to end it.
“Democrats say that every day of the shutdown gets better and that they want to use suffering families as leverage to achieve their radical left-wing agenda — but the people they’re using as ‘leverage’ disagree,” Rogers said. “From pilots to flight attendants and air traffic controllers, their message is simple: the Democrats need to stop causing chaos and end the shutdown.”
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