Airports have long served as barometers of national vitality. After the 2008 financial crisis, bustling terminals in Atlanta and Chicago signaled a country on the mend as passengers reclaimed lost time and businesses reconnected.

Today, those gateways echo a different rhythm. With the federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1, air travel has become a high-altitude casualty of political gridlock. Airlines, employees and airport authorities warn of mounting risks as critical personnel work without full pay, and operational stress compounds day after day.

Airlines for America, representing major carriers, has urged an immediate end to the shutdown, noting that more than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers recently received only pa

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