Members of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation heard new details Wednesday about how the 43-day government shutdown affected aviation operations. Witnesses outlined reports of heightened delays and expenses, near misses, spikes in resignations and a controller suicide.

National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Nick Daniels said the shutdown also led to resignations of students at the FAA Academy, noting that some trainees left after determining they could not relocate without income upon completing the program.

Close Calls and Flight Reductions

Airlines for America (A4A) CEO Chris Sununu testified that carriers and the FAA tracked multiple taxiway close calls in the weeks before the FAA issued an emergency order reducing flight vo

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