Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies next week if the government shutdown continues and air traffic controllers miss a second paycheck.
Already, numerous delays have been reported at airports across the country, sometimes lasting for hours. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily slows or halts air traffic when it is short on controllers. For example, last weekend saw severe staffing shortages, particularly on Sunday when flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed for several hours.
Duffy, alongside the head of the air traffic controllers union, warned that conditions will deteriorate further if the shutdown persists and employees are forced to work without pay. Controllers missed their first paycheck on October 28, with the next payday approaching fast.
“Many of the controllers said, ‘A lot of us can navigate missing one paycheck. Not everybody, but many can. None of us can manage missing two paychecks,’” Duffy explained. “If we reach next week, you will see mass chaos, mass flight delays, mass cancellations, and possibly the closure of certain airspace regions due to a lack of air traffic controllers.”
Flight disruptions so far have been mostly isolated and temporary, but widespread delays could intensify pressure on Congress to conclude the ongoing shutdown.
Mike McCormick, a former FAA supervisor and current professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, suggested that the FAA may close parts of airspace due to controller shortages, similar to the strategies used during severe weather events.
The U.S. Travel Association reported that the economy has already lost over $4 billion due to the shutdown, fearing an exacerbation of the economic impact as the holiday travel season draws near. Major airlines and aviation unions are urging Congress to act quickly to end the shutdown and alleviate travel disruptions.
