The head of Airlines for America, a trade group representing United Airlines and other major U.S. carriers, is scheduled to testify before a U.S. Senate aviation subcommittee on November 19, 2025. The hearing will focus on the impact of the recent 43-day government shutdown on aviation safety and operations. The testimony is expected to urge Congress to pass legislation to ensure that essential aviation workers, such as air traffic controllers, are paid during any future government shutdowns to prevent the widespread flight disruptions recently experienced. The shutdown led to 50,000 flight disruptions and affected 6 million passengers, prompting calls for permanent solutions to avoid future chaos in the national air traffic control system.