The drama of the government shutdown is far from over for air traffic controllers! Out of more than 10,000 controllers who worked without pay during the record 43-day shutdown, just 776 will get $10,000 bonuses. Why such a small number? Only those with perfect attendance get the bonus, officials revealed on Thursday. As the shutdown dragged on, many controllers faced tough choices. Some took side jobs while others simply couldn't afford gas or childcare to make it to work. Because of these absences, airports across the country faced delays, and flights were cut at 40 busy airports to ease the pressure. President Donald Trump first raised the bonus idea on social media, praising controllers who stayed loyal. He even said those who missed work should lose pay. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not announced any pay cuts for absences. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy showered praise on the controllers who never missed a shift. "These patriotic men and women never missed a beat and kept the flying public safe throughout the shutdown," he said. However, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) union fired back. They exposed that only 311 union members will get the bonuses, meaning some money might be going to managers. The union spoke up for the thousands who worked without pay but do not qualify for bonuses. "We are concerned that thousands of air traffic controllers who consistently reported for duty during the shutdown, ensuring the safe transport of passengers and cargo across the nation, while working without pay and uncertain of when they would receive compensation, were excluded from this recognition," the union said. Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen voiced strong words against the limited bonus plan. "For the Trump administration to not give a bonus to every single one of these hardworking women and men is wrong; they all deserve a bonus and back pay," said the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The union hopes to work with Secretary Duffy to find ways to honor all controllers who kept flights safe during this crisis. This bonus story isn’t unique, as last week Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced $10,000 bonuses for TSA officers who went "above and beyond" during the shutdown—though only a few officers were named. The FAA was struggling with a shortage of controllers even before the shutdown. Secretary Duffy has been working hard to hire more controllers and cut down their long training times to fix this problem in the coming years. During the shutdown, some students and workers quit, and many experienced controllers retired early. With so few staff, controllers often worked 10-hour shifts six days a week. Airlines had to cut flights due to staff shortages and rising safety concerns reported by pilots. But since the shutdown ended, controller staffing has improved nicely, and flights are now back to normal. The story shines a light on the hard work of America’s air traffic controllers and the debate over who truly deserves a thank-you dollar when the going gets tough!