“This shutdown inflicted real damage. Beyond disrupting operations and adding risk into the aviation system… it hindered essential career growth opportunities and stalled essential mediation processes. Every day the government remained closed was another day our members could not advance their livelihoods and professional futures.” Source: ALPA President Captain Jason Ambrosi, discussing the federal government’s reopening after a 43-day shutdown was cause for widespread celebration throughout the industry, which was on the brink of collapse as thousands of flights were chopped each day it dragged on. For unions, the excitement was quickly replaced with the urge to protect aviation when a repeat inevitably occurs.