WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Tuesday that air travelers will face “mass chaos” if the government shutdown drags into next week — including the potential closing of parts of US airspace due to staffing shortages.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays,” Duffy told reporters.
“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 the air traffic controllers.”
Duffy was joined at Tuesday’s news conference by Pennsylvania Sens. Dave McCormick and John Fetterman, one of three Democrats who has consistently voted to open the government.
More than 40 Senate Democrats have voted 14 times against a stopgap measure funding the government at current levels until Nov. 21, in hopes of getting concessions from Republicans to extend health care subsidies set to expire at the end of this year.
The Affordable Care Act tax credits and other provisions to lower health care premiums for Americans were expanded under former President Joe Biden and passed under former President Barack Obama.
Both House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) have pressed moderate Democratic senators to break ranks with their caucus and vote to reopen the government as the federal shutdown stretches into its second month.
Pressure has also been mounting from unions and airline industry leaders for Democrats to end the standoff — as critical funding for federal benefits programs such as food stamps have also dried up.
US airports have already been hit with flight delays, cancellations and even some brief ground stops due to the toll the shutdown is taking on overworked and underpaid air traffic controllers (ATCs).
Roughly 13,000 ATCs are working without paychecks — and 50% of their facilities are facing staffing shortages, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In the New York area, as many as 80% of controllers are having to call out due to overwork.
Duffy held a press conference with Vice President JD Vance last week emphasizing the issues for travelers if the shutdown continues to the Thanksgiving holiday Nov. 27.
“The House of Representatives has voted affirmatively to reopen the United States government,” Vance said. “Fifty-two Republicans and three Democrats consistently vote to reopen the United States government. But we need 60 votes.”
“We need to end the craziness,” the vice president stressed.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has led the opposition to the so-called “clean” continuing resolution, while Fetterman, Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine) have voted with the GOP.
“To their great credit, three moderate Democrats joined 52 Senate Republicans to vote to re-open the government,” Vance added. “We need five more reasonable Democrats to put the American people first and re-open the government.”
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby and Teamsters’ chief Sean O’Brien have also publicly called out the Democrats for prolonging the funding fight, the joint-longest in US history at 35 days.
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