Duffy outlines flight reductions due to safety concerns
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the gradual reduction in flights was aimed at reducing risk during the government shutdown.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Sunday (November 9) that air travel delays and cancellations will increase further as the government enters its third day of flight reductions.
“It’s only going to get worse,” Duffy said in an interview with CNN. “We’re going to see a very small drop in air travel two weeks before Thanksgiving.”
“There are a lot of people who want to go home for the holidays, see their families and celebrate this great American holiday,” Duffy added. “Listen, a lot of them aren’t going to be able to fly because there’s not going to be that many planes flying unless this thing restarts.”
He said lawmakers should immediately open the federal government to travelers. He also cited the financial burden of federal air traffic controllers going unpaid for more than a month.
Duffy and other aviation officials said the restrictive measures were necessary to ensure safety as air traffic controllers are short-staffed and the shutdown adds to the strain. He also fired back at Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who say the move is politically motivated.
“This is not political, it’s just about safety,” he told CNN. “And I’m doing the best I can in the midst of the chaos created by the Democrats. And now I’m trying to keep the American people safe and keep planes flying.”
Officials initially said travelers would see a 10% reduction in flights at 40 major airports last week. But the transport secretary has raised that number in recent days, saying on November 7 the limit could jump to 15% of all scheduled flights, or even 20%.
The restrictions have already wreaked havoc on travel, causing long lines and hours-long delays at airports across the country.
By Saturday afternoon, Nov. 8, more than 1,000 flights had been canceled across the United States, and by Sunday morning, Nov. 9, more than 1,100 flights had already been canceled, according to FlightAware data.
The chaos has added to the pressure on lawmakers over what is now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Kathryn Palmer is USA TODAY’s political reporter. She can be reached at the following address: kapalmer@usatoday.com And to X@Kathryn Purml.
