Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of “mass chaos” for air travel in the United States if the government shutdown continues.

Duffy said the Department of Transportation may shut down airspace in certain parts of the country if the shutdown continues next week.

“So if, if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos,” Duffy said, according to ABC News.

“You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancelations, 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,” he continued.

ABC News shared:

Nearly 50% of all major air traffic control facilities face staffing shortages, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Air traffic controllers are required to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We will delay, we will cancel, any kind of flight across the national airspace to make sure people are safe” amid the shortages, Duffy told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday, at the same time a ground stop was in effect at Newark Liberty International Airport.

“There is a level of risk that gets injected into the system when we have a controller that’s doing two jobs instead of one,” he added.

NBC News noted that there were more than 5,000 flights to or from U.S. airports that faced delays on Sunday.

“Yesterday saw another horrible record set: 84% of delays were due to staff shortages. If this shutdown doesn’t end now, air traffic controllers will receive another $0 paycheck,” Duffy said Monday.

“Many controllers are not coming to work because they have to find a job that WILL pay them so they can survive. Democrats, the ball is in your court. Vote to reopen the government NOW so these hardworking Americans aren’t put in this terrible position,” he added.

More from NBC News:

Air traffic controllers, who are relied on to coordinate aircraft within the airspace and are required to work as essential workers during a government shutdown, have been working without pay. Duffy said he wants them to return to work, adding that those who do not will receive a disappointing paycheck at the end of the week.

“None of them can miss two paychecks,” Duffy said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Monday. “They all start — their home finances fall apart, and they’re all going to have to look at taking second jobs or quitting and getting into another line of work. And the consequence of that is very real for our air system.”

Duffy underscored the dire need for air traffic controllers, adding that the system is short anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 controllers.

“I’m trying to put more air traffic controllers into the system,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

On Monday evening, more than 2,885 flights traveling within, to and out of U.S. airports were delayed, and 70 were canceled, according to FlightAware.com. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport account for most of it, with over 900 delays and 35 cancellations between them.

It is not immediately clear if staffing shortages directly caused the delays and cancellations Monday.

 

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.