NEW YORK (NewsNation) — The end of the government shutdown may be in sight, but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned the nationwide airport gridlock won’t clear up anytime soon.
“It’s going to be harder for me to come back after the shutdown and have more controllers controlling the airspace,” Duffy said. “So, this is going to live on in air travel well beyond the time frame that this government opens back up.”
Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, emphasized Monday that air traffic controllers have “held the line” through staffing shortages, outdated equipment, terrorist attacks on 9/11, and pandemics.
“In every crisis that this country has lived through, they’ve kept a focus, their composure and their commitment to safety,” Daniels said during a news conference. “Now they must focus on childcare instead of traffic flows, food for their families instead of runway separation. This is not politics, this sis not ideology. This is the erosion of the safety margin the flying public never sees but America relies on every single day.”
Trump blasts air traffic controllers who miss work
President Donald Trump on Monday said some controllers would be “substantially ‘docked'” for missing shifts during the government shutdown.
On TruthSocial, Trump said controllers that showed up for all of their shifts should get a $10,000 bonus.
“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked,'” Trump wrote. “For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the “Democrat Shutdown Hoax,” I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country.
“For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” the President posted. “You didn’t step up to help the U.S.A. against the FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK that was only meant to hurt our Country.”
Air traffic cuts to hit 10% by Friday
As of Monday morning, FlightAware reported more than 3,600 flight delays within, into or out of the United States and more than 1,700 cancellations. On Sunday, there were more than 10,000 flight delays and over 3,200 cancellations reported.
Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration mandated a 4% reduction in daily flights, which is expected to rise to 6% on Tuesday at the nation’s 40 busiest airports.
Flight-tracking app Flighty reported that more than half of all major airlines’ flights — mostly at hubs like Atlanta, Newark, Chicago and San Francisco — were either delayed or canceled Sunday.
“Hoooo boy. This is bad,” the company posted on social media. “More than 50 percent of flights will be cancelled or seriously delayed… which wrecks tomorrow too. We just tipped into total chaos.”
Air traffic controllers and security screeners have not received paychecks in weeks, and if the shutdown continues, the FAA has warned flight reductions could reach 8% by Thursday and 10% by Friday.
Air travel slows to a crawl amid shutdown
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, Duffy said travelers are already experiencing travel chaos.
Passengers nationwide have reported travel nightmares, including one father and son who missed a family celebration after learning their flight had been canceled while standing in the TSA line.
“We pulled up our boarding passes, and it literally said that the flight was canceled,” said Joe Ferri, who was traveling to celebrate his grandmother’s 98th birthday. “We checked it all the way up until we were walking up the escalators. People need to be paid. We need to get where we’re going. You’re shutting down the entire country, not just the government.”
Analysts warn of holiday travel meltdown
Currently, flights are less full than they’ll be in just a few weeks. However, once the holiday rush begins, analysts have warned there won’t be enough seats or schedule flexibility to absorb the growing backups.
Airlines and airports have urged travelers to check their flight status frequently, be patient, and have a backup plan, whether that’s another flight or a car rental.
Many travelers are already panicking, with some rebooking multiple times and others driving cross-country to get back home.
If the shutdown isn’t resolved soon, experts have warned the situation could snowball into the most significant holiday travel meltdown in a decade.