US Transportation chief warns of flight delays as shutdown affects aviation workforce

WASHINGTON

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Thursday that the government shutdown could cause significant disruptions to air travel, as thousands of federal aviation employees continue to work without pay.

Speaking at a news conference at the Capitol, alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders, Duffy acknowledged growing frustration among air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers as the shutdown entered its 23rd day.

"I can’t guarantee you that your flight’s going to be on time. I can’t guarantee that your flight’s not gonna be canceled. It’s gonna depend on our air traffic controllers coming in to work every single day," Duffy said, thanking air traffic controllers for working without pay.

Placing the blame for the shutdown on Democrats, Duffy said, "We need you to come to work. But if they do not, we’ll know whose fault it is."

Duffy’s comments came a day after the Senate blocked a House-passed continuing resolution (CR) for the 12th time that would have funded the federal government through Nov. 21.

"I do want to talk about air traffic controllers for a moment, because I think this is incredibly important. They're angry. I've gone to a number of different towers over the course of the last week to 10 days. They're frustrated," he said.

Johnson, for his part, underscored the growing toll on federal aviation workers.

"Right now, there are 13,000 air traffic controllers and more than 50,000 TSA officers who are showing up to work without pay," he said.

Democrats 'shutting down American air travel': White House

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt on Thursday blamed Senate Democrats for the government shutdown and warned of severe consequences for federal employees, small businesses, and air travelers nationwide.

Leavitt told the reporters that more than 500,000 civilian federal employees will miss a full paycheck on Friday, and thousands of small business loans are going unapproved each month, withholding nearly $4 billion in capital that small businesses rely on across the country.

She also pointed to the impact on airport operations, noting that approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers continue to work without pay. “This is egregious and truly sad."

"With the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, we are nearing the busiest travel period of the entire year, when millions of Americans will go to airports to spend time with their loved ones. Let us be very clear from the White House today: if the Democrats continue to keep the government closed, we fear there will be significant flight delays, disruptions, and cancellations in major airports across the country this holiday season.

"If Democrats continue to shut down the government, they will also be shutting down American air travel," Leavitt said.

The shutdown, the second-longest in US history, began Oct. 1 after a breakdown in negotiations on federal spending priorities. Thousands of federal workers have since been furloughed, or working without pay, while government services have been curtailed or suspended.