(MENAFN- Live Mint) Several leaders in the United States aviation industry have requested that Congress end the shutdown over concerns for air traffic controllers working without pay and ahead of the busy holiday season, according to a report by Fortune.

“It's putting stress on people. It's not fair to those people. It's also putting stress on the economy,” the report quoted United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby.“Airlines are a pretty good real-time indicator of the economy, and we start to see, still minor, but a steep booking impact. And you see that happening in the economy. We put the whole economy at risk,” he said.

Kirby urged bipartisan support to pass a resolution to reopen the government. He, along with industry leaders such as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Chris Sununu, the former Republican governor of New Hampshire and current CEO of Airlines for America, met with Vice President JD Vance on Thursday to discuss how the government shutdown is affecting aviation, according to Bloomberg.

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On Friday, American Airlines confirmed that CEO Robert Isom attended the meeting on Thursday. The airline described air traffic controllers working without pay as“unacceptable,” the report said.

“Congress needs to reach a bipartisan agreement to re-open the government as quickly as possible to pay our air traffic controller, [Transportation Security Administration], and [Customs and Border Protection] colleagues,” the report quoted airline's statement.

“The quickest way to end this shutdown and get these workers paid is by passing a clean continuing resolution. A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations-and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better," it said.

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Aviation industry remains a focal point during the government shutdown, with over 13,000 air traffic controllers, considered essential workers, working without pay. This increases the stress on employees who have been facing a staffing shortage for more than ten years. Prior to the shutdown, 91% of US air traffic control centres operated below the Federal Aviation Administration's recommended staffing levels. During the shutdown, many controllers are working six-day weeks, often exceeding 60 hours.

The shutdown is set to reach a record length, nearing its 34th day on Monday when the Senate reconvenes, matching the longest funding gap in U.S. history. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the shutdown could result in nearly $14 billion in lost real GDP that cannot be recovered. While over 700,000 government workers remain unpaid during this time, some, such as ICE agents, continue to receive their paychecks.

Air traffic controllers received their last paycheck on Tuesday, and they're feeling the strain of working without wages. Some have taken up side jobs as restaurant servers and Uber drivers to cover their expenses.

“It's a world where they are now not only leaning on each other, they're leaning on getting other jobs, going to their primary job in the day, and then in the evening, going out and having to do some level of a secondary job,” the report quoted Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

Some workers staged“sick-outs,” refusing to work until they received payment. These absences have already disrupted air travel. The report further cited Flightaware data, stating that over 7,300 delays and more than 1,250 cancellations occurred at US airports on Thursday.

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