The U.S. Department of Transportation may resort to closing parts of its airspace if the ongoing government shutdown persists, warns Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. This drastic measure could be taken due to staffing shortages, which have seen air traffic controllers working without pay for over a month. The shutdown has led to a significant shortage of air traffic controllers, with estimates ranging from 2,000 to 3,000, according to Duffy. He predicts that this situation will result in mass flight delays and cancellations, and potentially the closure of certain airspace segments. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has already reported longer-than-normal delays in screening at Houston airports due to staffing issues. The impact of the shutdown on air travel safety is a concern, as flight delays and cancellations are seen as safety measures. However, the longer the shutdown continues, the more risk is introduced into the system, as highlighted by Duffy. The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that air traffic controllers are also being forced to take on side jobs to make ends meet. The White House has blamed Democrats for the shutdown, but House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has refuted these accusations, stating that his party will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. The shutdown has already caused significant disruptions, with over 1,800 flights delayed and over 50 canceled on Tuesday alone, and more than 5,000 flights delayed on Sunday. The question remains: what will be the long-term impact on air travel and the American people?
