A lengthening federal shutdown continues to strain the United States' air traffic control system towards its breaking point. Controllers, which are already well understaffed, are working without full pay, something which prompted more sick calls and ultimately forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to carefully monitor overall traffic, daily departures, and occasionally issue ground stops at busy hubs.

Recent news coverage has been quick to report and draw a spotlight on personal hardship. Some controllers have had to take a side job on DoorDash and take out high-interest loans in order to cover bills as missed paychecks continue to loom. Transportation officials say that safety will ultimately dictate whether operations at major airports come grinding to a halt as facilitie

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