Almost 20% of certified professional controllers are currently eligible for retirement. CPCs' pension is under the Civil Service Retirement System, which is a trust fund (pdf) that does not require appropriation from Congress to pay out benefits. So retired CPCs will get benefits when they are retired whether or not the government is shut down.
Pretty soon (if it hasn't already started), one-fifth of all working air traffic controllers will realize that they can either keep working for no pay wondering how they will pay for the necessities of life, or put in their retirement papers and start getting paid at the beginning of next month whether or not the shutdown continues.
Can the air traffic system can operate if 20% of CPCs disappear?
Pretty soon (if it hasn't already started), one-fifth of all working air traffic controllers will realize that they can either keep working for no pay wondering how they will pay for the necessities of life, or put in their retirement papers and start getting paid at the beginning of next month whether or not the shutdown continues.
Can the air traffic system can operate if 20% of CPCs disappear?
