The Department of Transportation has issued a warning that airline traffic could “slow down” or “stop” amid the government shutdown, as air traffic controllers face significant stress over the lack of paychecks. Sean Duffy, the Department of Transportation Secretary, highlighted the strain on air traffic control operations as controllers prepare to miss their first paycheck since the shutdown began.
Duffy told Maria Bartiromo in an exclusive interview that the controllers are “stressed” over the missed paychecks, with many preparing to miss their first paycheck since the shutdown began. He mentioned that the controllers are experiencing high levels of stress due to the lack of paychecks, which has led to an increase in absenteeism and a record number of staffing triggers. The shutdown has now reached 26 days, making it the longest in U.S. history, and there is still no sign of a resolution.
Duffy stressed the need to prioritize safety and indicated that he may take measures to slow or stop air traffic if necessary to maintain operational safety. “My job is to keep the airspace safe,” he said, “and so, if I don’t feel like I have enough controllers or enough controllers that are focused, we will slow down traffic, we will stop traffic.”
He also expressed concerns about the impact of the shutdown on the everyday lives of Americans, particularly those who are struggling to make ends meet. “These are people that oftentimes live paycheck to paycheck, or one controller has a stay-at-home spouse,” Duffy said. “They’re concerned about gas in the car. They’re concerned about child care and mortgages. And so I’m seeing the stress come for the controllers.”
Despite his warnings, Duffy also pointed out that Trump cares about the American people and has tried to minimize the impact of the shutdown on the daily lives of Americans. However, he warned that the shutdown has caused “certain things you just can’t stop, and I can’t stop the frustration of air traffic controllers.”
Duffy’s comments come after Senate Majority Leader John Thune has offered to vote on the expiring subsidies only after the government reopens. However, Senate Democrats have not accepted the proposal, citing a lack of trust in their Republican counterparts.