The Department of Transportation and FAA said nearly 800 air traffic controllers and technicians who maintained perfect attendance during the 40+ day government shutdown will receive $10,000 each. Recipients will be notified next week and paid by Dec. 9. The FAA praised staff for keeping the national airspace safe, while the union said thousands who worked without pay were left out of the award. The move follows a suggestion from President Trump and has prompted debate over who should be recognized.
Nearly 800 Air-Traffic Workers to Receive $10,000 Bonuses for Perfect Attendance During Shutdown
The Department of Transportation and FAA said nearly 800 air traffic controllers and technicians who maintained perfect attendance during the 40+ day government shutdown will receive $10,000 each. Recipients will be notified next week and paid by Dec. 9. The FAA praised staff for keeping the national airspace safe, while the union said thousands who worked without pay were left out of the award. The move follows a suggestion from President Trump and has prompted debate over who should be recognized.
02:58 PM, 11/21/2025Politics
The Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration announced that nearly 800 air traffic controllers and technicians who maintained perfect attendance during the more-than-40-day federal government shutdown will each receive a $10,000 award in recognition of their service.
The bonus follows a directive from President Donald Trump to reward personnel who worked through the record-long shutdown, a period that produced overtime shifts, widespread call-outs, flight cancellations and delays, and a temporary reduction of flights at many of the nation’s busiest airports. Officials said recipients will be notified next week and payments are due to be issued by Dec. 9.
The FAA said the payment is for those "who maintained perfect attendance" during the shutdown. The agency reported there are more than 14,000 air traffic controllers in the United States.
"I am profoundly proud and grateful to the men and women who worked during extraordinary operational challenges to keep the [national air space] running safely during the longest government shutdown," FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, calling their efforts "the highest levels of public service."
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted the announcement on X, writing: "Santa’s coming to town a little early."
The shutdown forced an already understaffed workforce to work without pay; some controllers took second jobs to cover expenses while continuing to meet heavy operational demands. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) said 311 employees represented by the union will receive the award but expressed concern that many others who also worked without pay were excluded.
"While we agree that aviation safety personnel deserve recognition and gratitude, we are concerned that thousands of air traffic controllers who consistently reported for duty during the shutdown... were excluded from this recognition," the union said. "More than 311 of these dedicated professionals were instrumental in keeping America moving. We look forward to working with the Administration to provide the appropriate recognition to those not covered by the Secretary’s announcement."
The FAA and the Transportation Department did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.
Last week, President Trump suggested on Truth Social awarding $10,000 to controllers who worked without taking time off during the shutdown and proposed that those who did not return be "substantially 'docked.'" The announcement drew mixed reactions from labor representatives and highlighted ongoing tensions about recognition and compensation for federal workers who remained on the job without pay.