In brief
With the ongoing federal government shutdown impacting air travel, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that air traffic could slow to a mere trickle during the Thanksgiving holiday season. The Federal Aviation Administration has initiated flight cuts due to a shortage in air traffic controllers, many of whom have stopped working without pay, leading to thousands of flight cancellations across major U.S. airports. The situation is expected to worsen if controllers do not receive their paychecks soon, prompting calls for immediate action to address the staff shortages.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has raised alarms about the potential for air traffic in the U.S. to 'slow to a trickle' due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, coinciding with the critical Thanksgiving travel season. In a recent statement, Duffy noted that the federal government's absence of compensation has led to a significant number of air traffic controllers being absent from work, severely impacting operations at the nation’s busiest airports.Starting last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated initial flight reductions, which began at a 4% cut and are slated to rise to 10% by November 14. The cuts are actively disrupting all commercial airlines, with over 1,700 flights already canceled as of Sunday.Airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and Newark Liberty International Airport have reported significant cancellations, with delays averaging about 75 minutes due to staffing shortages.As Duffy highlighted, the future of air travel over the next weeks appears bleak unless urgent measures are taken. He emphasized, 'More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day,' foreseeing escalating frustrations among the travel public without an immediate resolution to the ongoing financial impasse. The predictions of widespread disruption come as airlines struggle with both reluctant staff and increasing demand during one of the year's busiest travel periods.
