George Bush

Nov. 14 (UPI) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Trump administration is giving certain Transportation Security Agency workers a $10,000 bonus for going “above and beyond” during the 43-day government shutdown.

She made the announcement Thursday during a news conference in Houston.

“I’m pleased to announce that under President [Donald] Trump, we are giving a $10,000 bonus to TSA officers across our nation who went above and beyond during the Democrats’ shutdown,” Noem said. “They guaranteed that America wouldn’t shut down — no matter how badly the Democrats wanted average Americans to feel the pain.

“Their unsung patriotism deserves recognition. President Trump and I are so grateful for these patriots.”

Noem praised TSA workers who showed up to work throughout the shutdown despite not receiving pay. A news release from the department highlighted two TSA agents who had perfect attendance during the shutdown — Reiko Walker and Ashley Richardson, who both worked at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

News outlet Semafor reported that back pay for Department of Homeland Security employees was expected to begin processing Wednesday.

Noem didn’t specify what metrics the Department of Homeland Security was using to determine who gets the bonus.

“We’re going to look at every individual that did exceptional service during this period of time when there were so many hardships,” she said during the news conference.

The Department of Homeland Security said it’s paying for the bonuses from leftover funds from fiscal year 2025.

Johnny J. Jones, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees’ TSA Council 100, described the bonuses as “great for some.”

“It’s better to give everybody a little something, because they all suffered and they all endured hard times during the last 43 days,” he said, according to The Hill.

The government shutdown caused thousands of flight cancellations and delays at U.S. airports amid a shortage in air traffic controllers. This shortage prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to cut flights by up to 6% at 40 major airports.

On Monday, Trump showed frustration with air traffic controllers who declined to show up to work without pay. He threatened to dock the pay of those who called out during the shutdown.

“For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country,” he wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Nov. 10 (UPI) — The Federal Aviation Administration on has imposed restrictions on private flights at 12 major U.S. airports, a business aviation trade group said.

The new rule — called a Notice to Airmen, or NOTAM — bans all non-scheduled operations at the 12 airports, which “will effectively prohibit business aviation operations,” the National Business Aviation Association said in a statement Sunday. The restrictions went into effect at midnight Sunday.

The organization said the move “disproportionately” impacts private flights, “an industry that creates more than a million jobs, generates $340 billion in economic impact and supports humanitarian flights every day.”

The announcement comes amid shortages in air traffic controller staffing in response to the federal government shutdown. At 41 days Monday, it’s the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

Commercial airlines began cutting flights Friday after the FAA ordered a 5% reduction in traffic at 40 major airports in the United States. The government said the restrictions will increase to 10% by Friday if a resolution isn’t passed to fund and reopen the government by then.

It may not get to that point, however, after the Senate on Sunday voted to advance a proposal that, if passed by Congress, would fund the government through January.

NBAA President and CEO Ed Belen said the announcement Sunday “underscores the need to reopen the government to serve all Americans.”

“NBAA stands with the rest of the aviation community in calling upon Congress to end the shutdown immediately, and for the NOTAMs to be repealed when the government opens,” he added.

The NBAA said the new restrictions apply to private flights at:

— Chicago O’Hare International Airport

— Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

— Denver International Airport

— General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport in Boston

— George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

— Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

— John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City

— Los Angeles International Airport

— Newark Liberty International Airport

— Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

— Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

— Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Nov. 6 (UPI) — A reduction in flights will affect 40 airports amid the federal government shutdown, which has put a strain on air traffic control staffing, unnamed sources said Thursday.

The Federal Aviation Administration hasn’t listed the airports, but sources released the tentative list to ABC News, CBS News and The Washington Post.

Most of the airports affected are in major cities, such as New York, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles. But other, less-busy airports are also on the list, such as Tampa Bay, Fla.; Anchorage, Alaska; and San Diego.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the 10% flight reduction on Wednesday, and said the cuts will begin on Friday.

“Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible. Reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations. This is not based on light airline travel locations. This is about where the pressure is and how to really deviate the pressure,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford Bedford said Wednesday.

​​”If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos,” Duffy said on Tuesday.

A source told ABC News that the flight reductions will start at 4% Friday and work up to 10%. The flight reductions will be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and tentatively affect the following airports:

1. Anchorage International (Alaska)
2. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (Georgia)
3. Boston Logan International (Massachusetts)
4. Baltimore-Washington International Marshall (Maryland)
5. Charlotte Douglas International (North Carolina)
6. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International (Ohio/Kentucky)
7. Dallas Love Field (Texas)
8. Reagan National (District of Columbia/Virginia)
9. Denver International (Colorado)
10. Dallas-Fort Worth International (Texas)
11. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (Michigan)
12. Newark Liberty International (New Jersey)
13. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (Florida)
14. Honolulu International (Hawaii)
15. Houston Hobby (Texas)
16. Washington Dulles International (District of Columbia/Virginia)
17. George Bush Houston Intercontinental (Texas)
18. Indianapolis International (Indiana)
19. John F. Kennedy International (New York)
20. Las Vegas Reid International (Nevada)
21. Los Angeles International (California)
22. LaGuardia Airport (New York)
23. Orlando International (Florida)
24. Chicago Midway (Illinois)
25. Memphis International (Tennessee)
26. Miami International (Florida)
27. Minneapolis/St. Paul International (Minnesota)
28. Oakland International (California)
29. Ontario International (Canada)
30. Chicago O’Hare International (Illinois)
31. Portland International (Oregon)
32. Philadelphia International (Pennsylvania)
33. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (Arizona)
34. San Diego International (California)
35. Louisville International (Kentucky)
36. Seattle-Tacoma International (Washington)
37. San Francisco International (California)
38. Salt Lake City International (Utah)
39. Teterboro (New Jersey)
40. Tampa International (Florida)

The reduction could affect cargo and commercial travelers. It could also cause issues as people prepare to travel for Thanksgiving.