The head of Airlines for America, a trade group representing United Airlines and other major U.S. carriers, is set to testify before a U.S. Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee on November 19, 2025. The testimony will urge Congress to take legislative action to ensure key aviation personnel, such as air traffic controllers, are paid during any future government shutdowns to avoid the significant disruptions seen previously. The call for action follows a 43-day government shutdown that resulted in the disruption of 6 million passengers and 50,000 flights due to rising absences among air traffic controllers. The airline industry is advocating for measures that would permanently end the negative safety, human, and economic consequences of subjecting the aviation sector to the chaos of government shutdowns. This testimony is a proactive step by the airlines to ensure operational stability in the future.