PASS sends its condolences to the families and loved ones of the Jazz Aviation pilots killed in the crash at LaGuardia Airport on March 22, 2026. They were represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), one of PASS’s union partners in securing safe travel for millions of Americans every day. PASS mourns the loss of these aviation professionals and stands ready to assist in any way needed. However, the union will not comment any further on the tragic accident while investigations are underway.

Last year, PASS filed a grievance regarding the across-the-board cancellation of routine telework and remote work arrangements. A hearing was held before an arbitrator on July 9, 2025. After a delay related to the 2025 government shutdown, the arbitrator issued a decision this week in favor of PASS-represented employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The arbitrator determined that the FAA violated the parties’ collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), In large part, the arbitrator merely recognized the careful balance the FAA and PASS struck in developing rules around telework and remote work during contract negotiations from 2022–2024. Rather than guaranteeing specific telework schedules or remote work, the CBAs focus instead on the process to be utilized to determine which schedule can be available to employees. To that end, the arbitrator found that the CBAs call for routine telework requests and remote work arrangements to be determined on a case-by-case basis utilizing the criteria negotiated in good faith by the FAA and PASS.

When Congress failed to pass appropriations in the fall of 2025, the resulting 43-day government shutdown tested every corner of the aviation system—and placed an extraordinary burden on all PASS-represented employees. While much of the nation focused on delayed flights and service disruptions, the most critical work continued out of public view: PASS members kept radar functioning, navigational aids online, safety systems certified, and training and modernization plans intact—all while working without pay and without knowing when relief would come. Aviation safety inspectors and other employees were furloughed yet subject to intermittent recall with no telling what their schedule would be from week to week, adding to the stress of not getting paid.

With another funding deadline coming on January 30, PASS continues to warn of the dangers of costly shutdowns on the air traffic control system and the dedicated public servants who maintain and regulate it. “We will continue to stress that aviation workers must be insulated from political stalemates and cannot be forced to work unpaid,” said National President Dave Spero. “Disagreements in Congress cannot be allowed to impact the safety and efficiency of our country’s aviation system.” He also emphasized that “It took many hands to ensure that not one delay during the historic 43-day shutdown was attributed to equipment or system failures.”