Air traffic controllers say pilots and flight attendants are sending them free food. The shutdown has them working with no pay.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
An air-traffic control tower in Burbank, California
Air traffic controllers in towers across the US are getting free food delivered from pilots, flight attendants, and others during the government shutdown, when they're not drawing a paycheck.

Mario Tama/Getty Images

If you're flying during the government shutdown, you're 10 times more likely to be delayed by staff shortages than normal

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
An airplane takes off near the control tower at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on October 8, 2025.
Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC, saw average delays of 31 minutes due to understaffing.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

An LA airport was left without air traffic controllers for 6 hours as the government shutdown causes travel chaos

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
A dark and unstaffed air traffic control tower is seen at the Hollywood Burbank Airport on October 6, 2025 in Burbank, California.
The unstaffed air traffic control tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport on Monday.

FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

'Pay attention': Spirit pilots got a slap on the wrist after flying too close to Air Force One while Trump was on board

Tech Insider : Business, Style
US President Donald Trump (C) and US First Lady Melania Trump disembark from Air Force One after landing at Stansted Airport, eastern England, on September 16, 2025
Air Force One landed in the UK on Tuesday.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Air traffic control chaos affecting 700,000 passengers was made worse when an engineer couldn't log in remotely

Tech Insider
CRAWLEY, ENGLAND - AUGUST 28: People wait near check-in desks at Gatwick Airport on August 28, 2023 in Crawley, United Kingdom.
Passengers at London Gatwick Airport on the day of the incident in August 2023.

Carl Court/Getty Images

A Southwest flight appeared to take off from a closed runway that had a vehicle on it without being cleared by air traffic control

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Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-76N prepares for takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport on March 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

France is so scared of strikes messing up the Olympics that it is letting air traffic controllers show up 3 hours late to work, and leave 3 hours early

Tech Insider
An air traffic control tower at sunset.
An air traffic control tower.

Rafael Cordero/Getty Images

Air traffic controllers are overworked and stressed — and that's dangerous for safe flying

Tech Insider
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 04: The Kansas City Chiefs United Airlines flight comes in for a landing behind the air traffic control tower for Super Bowl LVIII at Harry Reid International Airport on February 04, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
A United Airlines plane lands at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Hear how JFK air traffic controllers guided a Chinese cargo plane back to safety after an engine failed due to a bird strike

Tech Insider
A China Cargo Boeing 777 at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Tuesday 8th of August 2023.
A China Cargo Boeing 777.

Robert Smith/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

I'm a former air traffic controller and I'm not alarmed by the recent number of close call collisions. Passengers shouldn't be either — here's why.

Tech Insider
An aircraft flying past a control tower and a headshot of Kevin Karpé.
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Nick Dolding/Getty Images | Headshot courtesy of Diverse Vector Aviation Consulting

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