Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Sunday that air traffic controllers “are wearing thin” amid the ongoing government shutdown.
“The controllers are wearing thin,” Duffy told Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures. “And again, they’re taking second jobs, they’re out there looking, ‘Can I drive Uber, can I find another source of income to make ends meet?’”
Duffy also noted that 22 air traffic controller staffing triggers occurred at airports across the country on Saturday, the highest number to date during the shutdown. Air traffic controllers are working without pay during the funding lapse.
According to the flight-tracking site FlightAware, nearly 2,000 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have been delayed so far Sunday, with over 130 cancelled. The Hill has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for clarification on what percentage of flights delayed or cancelled are due to staffing shortages.
Earlier this month, Duffy told Fox Business that the share of delays stemming from staffing issues has jumped from its typical mark of five percent to 53 percent amid the shutdown.
“My message has been to the controllers, ‘Show up, that’s your job. Eventually, you’re [going to] be paid.’ But there’s real-life situations that they’re dealing with, with their families,” Duffy said Sunday.
The transportation secretary added that air travelers should expect more delays this week. Last Thursday, Duffy said at a press conference that he “can’t guarantee” that flights will not be delayed or cancelled.
That followed Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu saying last Sunday that air travelers should “pack your patience” and give themselves more time at the airport, as absences of Transportation Security Administration employees have also increased amid the shutdown.
In January 2019, during the last shutdown, an increase in air traffic controllers taking sick days led to delays along the East Coast.
