The FAA has ordered U.S. airlines to cut flights in order to maintain the safety and reliability of the National Airspace System (NAS). Safety is our shared top priority, and we will comply with the FAA’s order while working to mitigate disruption for travelers.

We are now 38 days into this unprecedented shutdown—the longest in our country’s history. Air traffic controllers and TSA officers are receiving yet another empty paycheck. More than 3.5 million passengers have experienced delays or cancelations because of air traffic control staffing concerns since the shutdown began.

This simply is not sustainable.

The busy Thanksgiving travel period will begin in two weeks, and we are expecting 31 million passengers—an all-time high—over the holiday (November 21—December 1).

We implore Congress to act with extreme urgency to get the federal government reopened, get federal workers paid and get our airspace back to normal operations. Time is of the essence.