Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy mentioned in an interview that flight reductions will persist, suggesting that a proper government must be formed to resolve the issue.
He noted that recent updates indicate a 4% reduction in air travel nationwide as a result of the government shutdown, with that figure poised to rise to 10% next week.
Duffy elaborated on the plight of air traffic controllers, who are facing significant financial strain. They’ve recently discovered that their second paycheck will also be zero, following a partial first payment.
“The second paycheck is going to be nothing. They’ve realized this now, which adds a lot of pressure on the managers. Some controllers, particularly newer ones, are really feeling the pinch and might not have savings to fall back on,” he explained, highlighting their tough position. Many are weighing returning to work amidst accumulating bills.
As a consequence, there’s been noticeable pressure on air traffic control systems, contributing to increased delays and cancellations. Duffy pointed out that the affected locations vary daily—one day it could be Los Angeles, and the next it might be New York or another city. The data is being carefully analyzed, and drastically reducing flights all at once might create further chaos, so they’re implementing it gradually.
Duffy emphasized that the primary goal is risk management.
“We’re constantly trying to manage risk. There’s no perfect safety—whether you’re in a car or just walking around, there’s always some risk involved. My aim is to minimize risk during this shutdown and align it as closely as possible with pre-shutdown conditions,” he said, mentioning he has received complaints from Democrats as well.
This, he continued, is not a matter of political bias.
“We’ve been making efforts to lessen the impact on the public. Our focus is on assisting the American people. It’s frustrating to be criticized by Democrats when the answer is straightforward: ‘Open the government’,” he stated.
“The solution is simple—vote to reopen the government. Those who blame me for these unique challenges should look at the government shutdown,” he added.
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