US Transport Secretary Warns of 'Mass Chaos' if Shutdown Prolongs
The US government shutdown has entered its 35th day, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning that prolonged closures could lead to "mass chaos" in the skies. The FAA, which controls air traffic, is already struggling due to financial pressures and staff shortages.
With the shutdown dragging on, flight delays have become more frequent, with some airports experiencing hours-long wait times. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was among those affected, with flights delayed for several hours last Sunday.
Duffy, who has been speaking out about the crisis, warned that if the shutdown continues, the situation will only worsen. "Many of the controllers said, '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.
The FAA has already experienced its first missed paycheck, with employees set to miss their next payday on Tuesday. With financial pressure mounting, Duffy warned that the consequences will be severe if Congress fails to act: "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 air traffic controllers."
Airline schedules are already being affected, with aviation analytics firm Cirium reporting that only 56% of Newark's departures were on time last Sunday. The Orlando airport also reported a significant decline in on-time flights.
The FAA is struggling to cope with staffing shortages, and delays have become more frequent. With the shutdown showing no signs of ending, the pressure on Congress to reach an agreement is mounting.
The US government shutdown has entered its 35th day, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning that prolonged closures could lead to "mass chaos" in the skies. The FAA, which controls air traffic, is already struggling due to financial pressures and staff shortages.
With the shutdown dragging on, flight delays have become more frequent, with some airports experiencing hours-long wait times. Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey was among those affected, with flights delayed for several hours last Sunday.
Duffy, who has been speaking out about the crisis, warned that if the shutdown continues, the situation will only worsen. "Many of the controllers said, '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.
The FAA has already experienced its first missed paycheck, with employees set to miss their next payday on Tuesday. With financial pressure mounting, Duffy warned that the consequences will be severe if Congress fails to act: "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 air traffic controllers."
Airline schedules are already being affected, with aviation analytics firm Cirium reporting that only 56% of Newark's departures were on time last Sunday. The Orlando airport also reported a significant decline in on-time flights.
The FAA is struggling to cope with staffing shortages, and delays have become more frequent. With the shutdown showing no signs of ending, the pressure on Congress to reach an agreement is mounting.
I'm literally freaking out over here!!! 
how can this be happening?! 
Air travel is like, my LIFE 
️ and now it's all being messed up because of the government shutdown 
56% on-time flights at Newark?!?! 
what even is that?! 
my fave airline just delayed our flight for hours last week and I'm still salty 
about it. Can't Congress just get it together already?!?! 
Sean Duffy's warnings are super valid, btw 
we need to get air traffic controllers paid ASAP so they can keep flying us safely through the skies 
️
... I mean, who wants to sit in airport for hours just waiting for their plane to take off? 
It's not just annoying, it's also super stressful! And with the FAA struggling to cope, it's only going to get worse. 
if congress doesn't do something soon, i'm worried we're gonna see a lot more of these mass flight delays & cancellations... it's not just the flights that are being delayed tho, whole airports are getting backed up too 
. I mean, can you imagine not being able to fly or having flights cancelled all the time? It's already bad enough that we're missing our paychecks, but if we have to close certain parts of the airspace... it's just too much 
. The FAA needs to get its act together ASAP 
. Like, what if this shutdown drags on 4eva? 
Flight delays r already a nightmare, but mass cancellations & airspace closures? 
Not to mention all the inconvenienced travelers & airlines affected 
We gotta get Congress on board ASAP w/ this 
I feel bad for the people stuck in airports waiting for flights, but at the same time, I'm kinda enjoying the chaos 
.
35 days in and flights are getting delayed left and right, which is a nightmare for everyone who's gotta fly. Newark airport was one of the worst hit, with people stuck waiting around for hours... it's just not fair.
The thought of mass cancellations and closures is giving me anxiety... what if they have to close off entire airspace? That would be a total disaster 
. But if Congress can't get its act together, it's gonna be like mass chaos up in the skies!!! 
. Like, have you ever been on a plane and just thought, "this is my life now"? Yeah, I didn't think so 
. The FAA is already facing a crisis of confidence with its employees missing their paychecks, and it's only going to get worse if the shutdown continues. It's like they're saying, "You know what? We can handle one missed paycheck, but two? That's just too much" 
.
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