President Donald Trump issued a stern directive to air traffic controllers, ordering them to “get back to work, NOW!” after the cancellation of over 1,700 flights and delays to more than 4,300, according to data from airline tracker FlightAware.
The ongoing disruptions stem from an escalating air traffic control staffing crisis, exacerbated by the prolonged shutdown of the federal government, which has left over 13,000 controllers working without pay and led to widespread absenteeism at major airports.
Trump, posting on Truth Social, threatened that any controllers who remain absent will be “substantially docked,” and at the same time offered a $10,000 bonus to those who have continued working through the shutdown.
The President’s comments come as major airlines warn the delays and cancellations may persist until full staffing resumes, with federal transportation officials cautioning that restoring capacity could take days or weeks.
