Pilots affiliation calls on lawmakers to finish authorities shutdown instantly

A pilots affiliation jumped into the federal government shutdown fray Wednesday, calling on U.S. lawmakers to go a “clean continuing resolution” and reopen the federal government, citing the mounting pressure the shutdown has positioned on airport workers. 

“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,” Jody Reven, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, wrote in an announcement Wednesday. 

“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.” 

The authorities shutdown has persevered since Oct. 1, when Senate lawmakers failed to achieve a funding settlement earlier than a midnight deadline. The Trump administration and Republicans have since pinned blame for the shutdown on Democrats, claiming they sought taxpayer-funded medical advantages for unlawful immigrants. 

NOEM AIRS CLIP BLASTING DEMOCRATS FOR GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AT EVERY AIRPORT IN AMERICA

Pilots associations are calling on U.S. lawmakers to achieve a funding settlement to reopen the federal government as vacation journey looms.  (Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images)

Democrats, nevertheless, have denied the claims and pinned blame for the shutdown on their Republican colleagues. 

The shutdown has led to delays at huge journey hubs similar to Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Newark, New Jersey, as air site visitors controllers, who’re employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, deal with staffing shortages. 

Reven launched his assertion as vacationers gear up for vacation flights for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And a White House official instructed Fox News Digital that because the shutdown continues, it “threatens to ruin the holidays.” The 2025 vacation season is predicted to interrupt journey information as Americans e-book journeys at a better tempo than 2024, journey forecasters reported in October.

“There is no reason the Democrat shutdown should have ever happened, let alone last this long,” the official stated. “But the longer it goes on, the more it threatens to ruin the holidays, not only for the Americans missing paychecks but also for every American that travels during the holidays.” 

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association’s press launch particularly referred to as on lawmakers to go a funds as a result of the nation’s total National Airspace System depends upon it. 

TRUMP’S WEEK IN REVIEW: SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWNS AND ARMED CARTEL CONFLICT

President Donald Trump stated the federal government shutdown that took impact Oct. 1, 2025, will possible embody mass layoffs and program cuts.  (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

“Pass a clean Continuing Resolution, return to Washington, and work in a bipartisan manner to address the challenges each side is so passionate about,” it said. “Our National Airspace System, the workers that support it, and the traveling public depend on it.” 

When approached for touch upon the assertion, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers demanded Democrats “stop causing chaos.”

“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 stated. “From pilots to flight attendants and air traffic controllers, their message is simple: The Democrats need to stop causing chaos and end the shutdown.” 

The Air Line Pilots Association, the world’s largest airline pilot union, additionally referred to as on lawmakers to reopen the federal government earlier in October. 

“The job of keeping aviation safe and secure is tough on an easy day, but forcing them to do it without pay undermines the safety and security of our entire system,” Jason Ambrosi, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, stated in an announcement Oct. 15. “We are at a critical moment in aviation safety, and we need our leaders to be focused on the necessary infrastructure and staffing improvements.” 

WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THREATENING AIR TRAVEL, A GOP BILL SEEKS TO KEEP FLIGHTS RUNNING

President Donald Trump accused Senate Democrats of “holding the entire federal government hostage.” (Getty Images)

President Donald Trump accused Senate Democrats of “holding the entire federal government hostage” Tuesday whereas demanding the federal government reopen by passing a “clean, bipartisan CR.” 

“They are the obstructionists,” he stated. “And the reason they’re doing it is because we’re doing so well. We’re doing well all over the world.” 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., stated Tuesday that he and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., reached out to Trump to request a gathering to barter an finish to the shutdown. 

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“Hakeem and I reached out to the president today and urged him to sit down and negotiate with us to resolve the healthcare crisis, address it and end the Trump shutdown,” Schumer stated. “He should sit — the things get worse every day for the American people. He should sit down with us, negotiate in a serious way before he goes away.”

Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller contributed to this report.