Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated Tuesday that his division might have to shut sure components of the nation’s airspace subsequent week if the federal government shutdown continues.
Blaming Democrats in Congress for the now 35-day shutdown, Duffy instructed reporters that if the stalemate doesn’t finish by Nov. 11, the nation’s air journey system “will see mass chaos,” together with flight delays, cancellations and maybe the closing of sure airspace areas “because we just cannot manage it, because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
“With this shutdown, it would be dishonest to say that more risk is not injected into the system. There is more risk in the system,” Duffy added.
Final Tuesday, air site visitors controllers missed their first paycheck because the shutdown started, after receiving “80 to 90 percent” of their paycheck in mid-October, Duffy famous. The Transportation secretary stated this Thursday, air site visitors controllers will obtain an e mail saying they may obtain a pay stub of $0 subsequent Tuesday.
The state of affairs has pressured air site visitors controllers to make troublesome monetary choices, with some opting to take second jobs to “put food on their table, to put gas in their car,” Duffy stated.
“A lot of us can navigate missing one paycheck. Not everybody, but a lot of us can. None of us can manage missing two paychecks,” he stated, on what many controllers have instructed him.
Greater than 2,000 flights inside, into or out of the U.S. have been delayed up to now Tuesday, with greater than 60 such flights canceled, in accordance with flight-tracking web site FlightAware.
It’s unclear what share of these impacted flights are delayed or canceled as a result of air site visitors controller shortages. On Oct. 9, Duffy instructed Fox Enterprise the share of delays stemming from staffing points had jumped from its typical mark of 5 p.c to 53 p.c.
When reached for remark, the Federal Aviation Administration offered a blanket assertion that it “slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations” amid air site visitors controller shortages.
Duffy acknowledged throughout the press convention, although, that air site visitors controller attendance “has been far better than past shutdowns.” In January 2019, throughout the newest funding lapse, air site visitors controller shortages launched in flight delays alongside the East Coast.
Duffy additionally expressed confidence that the nation’s air journey system will “recover pretty quickly” as soon as the shutdown ends.
“Controllers will start to come back to work, hopefully, quickly,” Duffy stated.
