Air traffic controllers are working for food: They are not receiving a salary due to the shutdown, but airlines are feeding them lunches.

Air traffic controllers are now working for food, as the government shutdown prevents federal aviation workers from being paid. However, United and Delta airlines are providing lunch for air traffic controllers, writes Independent.

Federal aviation workers haven't received their paychecks this week, making the current shutdown the longest in U.S. history.

Air traffic controllers, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, and other federal workers continue to work without pay. Congress remains unable to agree on a budget to reopen the government.

On the subject: Thousands of flights are being delayed daily in the US due to the shutdown.

Several major airlines and food banks are now helping feed airport workers during this crisis.

American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, and United, among others, provide meals at airports across the country.

"We are grateful to the federal employees who continue to keep the air transportation system running," United said in a statement.

About 11,000 dispatchers received zero paychecks on Tuesday for two weeks of unpaid work. Department of Transport Commissioner Sean Duffy told reporters that another missed payment would be a financial disaster.

Major airlines and food banks are helping feed federal workers at the nation's airports, including TSA employees and air traffic controllers, who are working without pay.

"Many of our dispatchers can handle missing their first paycheck. They've been on the job for 10, 15, 20 years—and they're prepared for these kinds of challenges," Duffy said on Tuesday, October 28, at LaGuardia Airport in New York.

While airlines prepare meals and order pizzas for exhausted workers, nonprofits and food banks are setting up operations at airports to provide food to employees.

In Minnesota, Second Harvest Heartland is helping distribute hundreds of food boxes to employees of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Feeding Westchester, based outside of New York City, supports Westchester County Airport workers.

"Whether it's TSA employees or dispatchers, this is alarming," said Westchester County Executive Kenneth Jenkins. "Many of them are working without pay under extremely difficult conditions. Yet, by continuing to show up for work, they demonstrate professionalism and a responsible attitude. And the community supports them."

The situation is exacerbated by the federal government's failure to provide emergency funding for the food assistance program, which feeds more than 40 million Americans and their families. The Department of Agriculture stated that the "well has run dry" as there is no approved budget for the new fiscal year, and payments will cease on November 1 without immediate action from the Donald Trump administration, Congress, or a federal court.

Sean Duffy warned that airport workers are facing serious difficulties due to the standoff between the Trump administration and Congress over government funding.

Duffy has repeatedly emphasized that flights remain safe despite the overwork of thousands of air traffic controllers due to staffing shortages that began before the government shutdown. However, as the shutdown drags on, delays and disruptions to air travel are expected. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that staffing issues are already causing disruptions at major air hubs across the country.

Due to staff shortages, unpaid wages and a limited number of controllers, airports are being forced to slow operations, cancel flights or delay departures, the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers said.

Airline employees are taking sick leave and taking part-time jobs at Uber and DoorDash to make ends meet, Duffy said.

"They shouldn't be moonlighting, they shouldn't be going to work as waiters after the night shift," said Nick Daniels, president of the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, at a press conference.

Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport was plagued by flight delays on October 30, while at Teeterboro Airport, average delays reached 346 minutes into the early morning of October 31.

The situation is worst at Orlando Airport: the FAA stated that "airplanes cannot land because there are no certified controllers." By the evening of October 30, average delays were around three hours, with some flights delayed for nearly 12 hours.

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On Friday, October 31, flights to Nashville, Newark and Boston were delayed by more than an hour due to staff shortages.

According to Duffy, 44% of the delays on November 2 and about a quarter of the delays on November 3 were due to staffing issues.

"Every day, dispatchers have to be 100% focused," Daniels noted. "And now they have to think about how to put gas in the car, how to take care of the kids, how to pay for daycare."

"The pressure is real," added controller Joe Segretto. "We have people who are trying to keep flights safe, and we have trainees who are learning to do a very complex and stressful job that requires making split-second decisions. And they have to worry about paying the bills."

Read also on ForumDaily:

Benefits and Travel Issues: How the Shutdown Could Affect Your Life

Banks and credit unions are calling on Congress to end the shutdown or risk economic collapse.

Naturalization ceremonies are being canceled due to the shutdown, but participants are not being warned.

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