BOSTON — The ongoing government shutdown has stretched into its 36th day, marking the longest in U.S. history—and now, it’s threatening the safety of America’s skies.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says air traffic controllers are working without pay and under extreme stress. Many have missed a full paycheck.
If the shutdown continues another week, parts of U.S. airspace could be forced to close due to staffing shortages, Duffy warned.
“Many of the controllers said, ‘A lot of us can navigate missing one paycheck. Not everybody, but a lot of us can. None of us can manage missing two paychecks,’” Duffy said. “If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays, 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.”
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association reports that many controllers are working 10-hour shifts, six days a week, raising serious safety concerns.
Political tensions remain high. Republicans blame Democrats for the impasse, while Democrats argue that Republicans—who control the White House and Senate—have the power to end the shutdown.
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