U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has issued a warning that parts of U.S. airspace may need to be closed next week if the ongoing federal government shutdown continues and staffing shortages in air‐traffic control are not resolved.
The shutdown began on 1 October and has now entered its 35th day, tying the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Duffy has noted that if the shutdown extends into next week, “mass flight delays” and “mass cancellations” could follow.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said:If you bring us to a week from today, you will see mass chaos. You will see mass flight delays, you'll see mass cancellations, 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 controls.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that staffing shortages are at critical levels: at some major airports, between 20% and 40% of air‐traffic controllers are not working. In the New York area, one FAA count showed as high as 80% absenteeism among controllers.
With a second missed paycheck now on the horizon for thousands of FAA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees, these levels are expected to increase. Airlines and unions have thus called on Congress to pass a stopgap funding resolution immediately to avert escalating disruptions and safety vulnerabilities.
As of now, commercial air travel is continuing, though delays and cancellations are increasing. Passengers flying in the coming week should allow extra time, monitor their flights closely, and be prepared for disruptions.
