Air traffic in the US may be ‘significantly reduced’ Transportation Minister Sean Duffy warned Sunday that if the federal government shutdown extends into the busy Thanksgiving travel season.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last week ordered a reduction in the number of flights at the nation’s busiest airport, as some air traffic controllers, who have not been paid in nearly a month, stopped showing up for work.
Discounts cThey started Friday at 4% and will rise to 10%. As of November 14th. These measures are in effect from 6 am to 10 pm and affect all commercial airlines.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta The highest number of cancellations was on Sunday, with 173It is followed by Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey with 115.
The Federal Aviation Administration said staffing shortages at Newark and LaGuardia airports in New York were to blame The average departure delay is about 75 minutes.
Wayne Metropolitan Airport in Detroit, Michigan, was mostly empty Sunday morning, with few waits at security checkpoints, while delays and cancellations filled the departure and arrival boards.
Additional flights may need to be cut, Duffy said. And perhaps up to 20% Especially if the monitors do not get paid for the second time in a row.
“Every day fewer drivers come to work, and the longer they go without a paycheck,” Duffy said on Fox News Sunday.
It also prepared Americans for what they might face during the busy Thanksgiving holiday season.
“Looking forward two weeks, As we approach Thanksgiving travel“I think what will happen is that air traffic will slow down because everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy said.
He added that with “very few” controllers working, “there will be very few flights taking off and landing,” as well as thousands of cancellations.
“There will be massive disruption. I think there will be a lot of angry Americans. I think we have to be honest about where this is headed. “It’s not getting better. It’s going to get worse until the air traffic controllers get paid,” Duffy said.
The government has been suffering from a shortage of air traffic controllers for years, and multiple presidential administrations have tried to persuade those of retirement age to stay. Duffy said the shutdown exacerbated the problem, prompting some observers to accelerate their retirement.
“As many as 15 or 20 people retire every day.”Duffy told CNN.
He said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent him a text message offering to loan military air traffic controllers, but it is unclear whether the individuals are certified to work on civilian systems.
Duffy denied Democrats’ accusations that canceling flights are a political tactic, saying they are necessary because of the increased potential for accidents in an overburdened system.
‘I needed to take measures to keep people safe’Duffy added. “I’m doing what I can in the mess that Democrats have put in my lap.”
Airlines for America, a trade group representing US airlines, said delays related to air traffic control staffing shortages exceeded 3,000 hours on Saturday, the highest period of the closure, and that staffing issues contributed to 71% of the delay time.
From October 1 to November 7, the lack of monitors affected more than 4 million passengers on US airlines, according to American Airlines.
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