US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is facing backlash from air traffic controllers after claiming on social media that new hires in the profession earn starting salaries of $180,000 a year, and can make up to $400,000.
In a post on X on October 7, 2025, Duffy wrote: “We are bringing a record amount of new air traffic controllers into the system by speeding up the admissions process. We have hired 20% more controllers this year! Did you know the starting salary for controllers is $180K/year and can go as high as $400K/year? The best and the brightest are joining the ranks and this is going to make YOUR air travel safer and faster.”
The comments quickly drew criticism from controllers and aviation professionals who said the figures were grossly inflated. Across social media and aviation forums, current and former controllers said Duffy’s numbers distorted public perception of their pay and ignored the realities of how the FAA’s pay structure works.
Many posts described the $180,000 figure as “out of touch,” noting that most new controllers earn less than half that amount after completing training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Several users also expressed frustration with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) for not publicly correcting Duffy’s statement, saying the union’s silence risked lending credibility to what they viewed as misinformation.
While the FAA does not publish a single pay scale labeled “starting salary,” public data from the Office of Personnel Management and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that most newly trained controllers earn between $70,000 and $90,000 after completing academy training and reporting to their assigned facilities. Entry-level trainees at the academy make closer to $45,000 to $50,000.
Only controllers who have completed years of on-the-job training and achieved Certified Professional Controller (CPC) status at the busiest facilities — such as New York Center, Chicago Center, or Southern California TRACON — can approach $180,000, typically through a combination of locality adjustments, night differentials, and overtime. Even at those facilities, salaries above $200,000 are rare, and the $400,000 figure mentioned by Duffy does not appear in any federal pay data.
The controversy over Duffy’s post comes as the government shutdown enters its second week, forcing thousands of essential employees, including all air traffic controllers, to work without pay. The FAA says roughly 13,000 certified controllers remain on duty across the country.
In media appearances this week, Duffy acknowledged that some facilities have seen a “slight” increase in sick calls as the shutdown drags on. “Have we had a slight tick up in sick calls? Yes,” he said. “We’re monitoring that closely.”
Aviation industry reports suggest that those absences, though still modest, are beginning to affect the flow of traffic at certain airports. The FAA issued a ground stop at Nashville’s airport on October 7, 2025, due to ATC staffing issues, and the tower at Burbank Airport in California was unstaffed for several hours this week because no controllers were available. The Associated Press and Reuters have cited similar staffing concerns in Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., where localized delays have rippled through the system.
Union officials have not confirmed any organized action but say controller morale is deteriorating. In a message to members, NATCA urged controllers to “remain professional and focused on safety” despite the financial hardship, noting that controllers will eventually receive back pay once the shutdown ends.
For many controllers, Duffy’s comments added to the frustration of working without pay. On social media, several described the post as dismissive and poorly timed, saying it overlooked the financial and emotional strain caused by the shutdown.
Controllers are holding the system together on “zero paychecks,” one user wrote. “Then we get told we’re making $180K starting. It’s insulting.”
