Shutdown chaos reignites debate over privatizing US air traffic control

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history delayed thousands of flights just weeks before the heavily traveled holiday season, reigniting debate over whether to privatize the U.S. air traffic control system, which proponents argue would shield the industry from future shutdown concerns. Calls to privatize air traffic control have lingered on the edges of aviation policy for decades, often flaring during outages or government shutdowns that lead to lengthy delays for travelers. Air traffic controllers in the U.S. are overwhelmingly employees of the government's Federal Aviation Administrat