Could air traffic controllers help end the government shutdown?

The government shutdown has shown little sign of resolution as many lawmakers exchange barbs and dig into their positions. But some quiet absences among air traffic controllers and the resulting travel disturbances could ultimately help end the impasse, some experts told ABC News. Air traffic controllers, who are required to work without pay during the shutdown, are credited with helping end the most recent shutdown in 2019, when a series of absences snarled flights and heightened pressure on members of Congress. That history could repeat itself this time around, since a small concentration of absences could profoundly derail travel, in part because the occupation already suffered a worker shortage before this shutdown began, experts said. "Even just a small uptick in sick-outs and no-show