Politico
Sam Ogozalek
17 Dec 2025
“I think the thought of not being paid was enough to frighten them away,” the agency chief said.
Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford said Wednesday that the agency lost up to 500 air traffic controller trainees during the 43-day government shutdown.
“We lost, I don’t know, 4-, 500 of our trainees that just sort of gave up during the lapse,” Bedford told the Senate aviation subcommittee during a hearing.
The FAA scrounged together money to keep the training academy in Oklahoma City running amid the funding stalemate, but that apparently didn’t dissuade many from leaving.
“Even though we kept the school open, I think the thought of not being paid was enough to frighten them away,” Bedford added.
It’s a blow to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s effort to boost the ranks of these essential workers, who have high-stress jobs and face aging technology and a longstanding personnel shortfall.
