Additional Coverage:
- ‘Mass chaos’: Duffy says he might have to close some airspace next week amid shutdown (abcnews.go.com)
Looming Airspace Closures and Flight Chaos as Government Shutdown Continues
WASHINGTON D.C. – Travelers could face significant disruptions and even airspace closures in parts of the country if the government shutdown extends into next week, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Duffy warned on Tuesday of “mass chaos,” widespread flight delays, and cancellations, attributing the potential crisis to a severe shortage of air traffic controllers working without pay.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos,” Duffy stated, emphasizing the critical impact of the ongoing shutdown. “You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancelations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that nearly half of all major air traffic control facilities are currently experiencing staffing shortages. Approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay, a situation that is already taking a toll. Last Friday, the FAA noted an alarming 80% call-out rate among New York area staff.
Secretary Duffy highlighted the difficult choices these essential workers are being forced to make. “These hard-working Americans have bills to pay, and they are being forced to make decisions and choices,” he said on Monday.
“Do they go to work as an air traffic controller, or do they have to find a different job to get resources, money, to put food on their table, to put gas in their car? And as every day goes by, I think the problem is only going to get worse, not better.”
While Duffy had previously indicated that controllers who didn’t report to work could be dismissed, he has since softened his stance. Last month, he remarked, “If we have some on our staff that aren’t dedicated, we’re going to let them go.”
However, over the weekend, he reversed course, telling CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he would not fire any air traffic controllers for not showing up. “They need support, they need money, they need a paycheck.
They don’t need to be fired,” he clarified.
The potential for widespread flight disruptions was underscored on Sunday when a ground stop was implemented at Newark Liberty International Airport due to staffing issues. During an interview with ABC News, Duffy reiterated that safety remains the top priority. “We will delay, we will cancel, any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe” amid the shortages, he affirmed.
Duffy also warned of the increased risks when facilities are understaffed. “There is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that’s doing two jobs instead of one,” he added, emphasizing the critical need for adequate staffing to maintain air travel safety.