The United States may be forced to close portions of its airspace if the federal government shutdown continues, the transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, has warned. Speaking on Tuesday as the shutdown entered its 35th day, tying the record for the longest in history, Duffy cautioned of 'mass chaos' within a week if the impasse persists.
The shutdown, which began on 1 October, has left a shortage of up to 3,000 air traffic controllers, with at least 11,000 more working without pay. Duffy said the system remains safe but acknowledged that 'more risk is injected into the system' with each passing day. He warned of mass flight delays, cancellations, and potential closures of certain airspace due to insufficient controllers.
Political blame continues to fly, with the White House accusing Democrats of 'choosing chaos' while House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed not to support a partisan spending bill that 'guts healthcare'. Democrats insist any agreement must extend healthcare tax credits to prevent premium hikes in 2026. Nearly 50% of the US's 30 busiest airports face air traffic controller shortages, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with at least 35 facilities affected.
Beyond air traffic controllers, the shutdown has left 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers without paychecks. Last weekend saw passengers endure security waits of one to five hours at major airports including New York's LaGuardia and JFK. As of Tuesday, total flight delays stood at 2,565, down from 4,720 on Monday. Separately, operations at Reagan Washington National Airport were temporarily halted due to a bomb threat against a United Airlines plane, though the runway has since reopened.
