Denver wants to pay airport staff to avoid FAA flight cuts

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston (D) on Thursday proposed that the city pay air traffic controllers as they go without paychecks because of the government shutdown.

Johnston's proposal would need to be permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Politico reported. The city requested a waiver to pay air traffic controllers at Denver International Airport but has not received a response yet.

The Hill reached out to Johnston's office and the FAA for comment. An automated email from the FAA's press office said it was not responding to media inquiries but attached a statement citing Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.

"As Secretary Duffy has said, there have been increased staffing shortages across the system," the automated email read. "When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations."

Denver is among 40 airports across the country that will see their flight capacity reduced by 10 percent starting Friday, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said Wednesday.

Johnston told Politico that the airport might be "the largest economic driver in the Rocky Mountain West." Tourism fuels Colorado's economy, and the industry supported nearly 190,000 jobs and contributed $28.5 billion to the state's economy in 2024, according to Colorado's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

“It is critical to not just our quality of life, but to our economic health," he said.

In its request to the FAA, the city also specified that it expects to be reimbursed after the shutdown ends. Johnston admitted to Politico that the risk is the city's waiver is approved but the FAA could require the airport to operate at reduced capacity.

“We understand there’s some risk,” he said. “We think the greatest risks of all are shutting down the economy by stopping air travel, which is a major economic driver for us.”

In a statement to The Hill, Johnston blamed President Trump for the shutdown and its impact, which has "forced federal employees to work without pay and left 100,000 Denverites without access to food."

"Now his dysfunction is threatening to cancel flights for millions of Americans and kneecap our state’s largest economic engine,” Johnston said.

He urged "the Trump Administration to stop playing politics, lift these restrictions, and keep our flights running smoothly, safely, and at full strength.” 

During a press conference on Wednesday, Bedford said the FAA's move to reduce flight capacity is "appropriate to continue to take the pressure off of our controllers."

“The data is telling us we need to do more, and we are going to do more,” Bedford said. “And I want to reassure the American travelers that it is absolutely safe to fly in the American skies.”

Duffy, who was with Bedford at the same press conference, warned on Tuesday that the Department of Transportation may have to close certain parts of the country’s airspace if the funding lapse persists.

Updated 7:25 p.m.