After Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on a plan to keep the U.S. government funded, several federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, are preparing to wait out another government shutdown, the first since 2019. 

The FAA posted a warning, highlighted in red, that “portions of the Department of Transportation are currently in shutdown/furlough status due to a lapse in appropriations.”

Considered essential employees, most air traffic controllers will continue to work without pay until the shutdown is resolved.

More than 13,000 air traffic controllers are expected to continue working without pay, according to U.S Department of Transportation documents.

Union officials representing more than 20,000 aviation safety professionals, including controllers and aircraft certification engineers, are calling on lawmakers to restore federal funding to ensure the safety of the National Air System is not compromised.

“Congress must act now to end this shutdown,” said National Air Traffic Controllers Association  President Nick Daniels in a statement. “When the federal government shuts down, it introduces unnecessary distractions and our entire aviation system is weakened.”

No delays or interruptions have been reported at Denver International Airport. However, airport officials recommend that passengers check with their airlines for updates and arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled boarding time.

“TSA and FAA Air Traffic Control staff are required to continue working unpaid during a federal shutdown,” a DIA airport spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Denver Gazette. “That being said, we cannot guarantee that TSA and FAA staffing would not be affected. We recommend getting to the airport at least two hours prior to boarding time and checking with your airline directly for any updates on your flight.”

At Centennial Airport, air traffic controllers oversee more than 360,000 takeoffs and landings annually, according to the FAA reports, with a diverse mix of air traffic ranging from large corporate jets to first-time student pilots.

“So far, we haven’t seen any impacts,” Airport Chief Executive Officer Mike Fronapfel told the Denver Gazette. “Our controllers, their support staff, as well as our Customs and Border Patrol agents, are still working.”

Fronapfel added that continued safe operations of the airport amid the government shutdown are a top priority.

“A recent study showed Centennial Airport averages close to 14 Life Guard – or medevac – flights per day, so it is important we keep the airport open,” Fronapfel said.

However, Fronapfel added that while few impacts from the government shutdown are visible now, the longer it lingers, things may change.

Furthermore, an extended government shutdown could impact student pipelines coming through the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and eventually slow travel, industry experts said.

“A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy, costing $1 billion every week – and affecting millions of travelers and businesses while placing unnecessary strain on an already overextended federal travel workforce,” wrote U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman in a letter to federal lawmakers.

Freeman argued the shutdown exacerbates staffing shortages among Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers, threatening longer airport security lines, flight delays, and cancellations. 

“It halts hiring and training of new air traffic controllers when we are already short more than 2,800 controllers nationwide, and restarting the process adds further delays even after funding is restored,” he said.

Metropolitan State University lecturer and former air traffic controller Tom Obarski pointed out that this is not the first government shutdown that air traffic controllers have endured.

“Air traffic controllers live in a world of adversity,” Obarski told The Denver Gazette. “It’s in the DNA of the job. They’re they’re kind of like high-end, top shelf athletes.”

Obarski said that while its been quite some time since he actually sat behind a live radar, he is confident in the “strength and resiliency” of today’s controllers and the ATC system.

“Despite the shutdown, there is one thing that will not change — air traffic controllers are incredibly proud of the public service they provide, and they will answer the bell without fail,” said NATCA’s Daniels. “They will continue to perform the vital work they do throughout the shutdown to safeguard our National Airspace System. They will guide you home.”