Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has cautioned that a 10% decrease in air travel capacity will take effect at forty major US airports beginning this Friday, should the ongoing federal funding lapse continue.
“It is rare, similar to how the funding gap is unusual, just as the reality that our air traffic staff haven't been paid for a month is exceptional,” remarked FAA chief Bryan Bedford.
During the funding impasse, which is now the longest in US history, air traffic personnel have been obligated to continue working without pay, prompting some to take sick leave or seek side jobs.
The identities of the impacted airports—each busy locations—will be released on Thursday, authorities said.
These cancellations may impact from 3,500 and 4,000 air travel services per day.
“There are strains build in a way that we don't feel—without intervention—will allow us to keep telling the travelers that we operate the safest airline system in the globe,” the FAA chief commented.
Duffy clarified that air travel remains safe, and the choice to reduce air services was taken to uphold both safety and efficiency.
If the funding lapse persist and introduce more pressure to the aviation network, further restrictive measures could become necessary, Bedford noted.
After government funds were exhausted on 1 October, the majority of government employees were furloughed and informed they would be paid once the funding resumed. Those considered critical, like air traffic staff, however, had to continue their jobs unpaid.
Almost immediately after the funding halt started, travel hubs began experiencing the impact. Some had to ground flights for extended periods after staff called out sick, while some locations relied on controllers from different airports.
Duffy had alerted recently that travel disruptions were likely, as half of the country's 30 primary airports experience personnel deficits.
Duffy earlier stated that there is a risk associated with air traffic controllers taking on side work during the shutdown, and had threatened to dismiss employees who do not come to work.
“Controllers have to choose, should I report for duty and work unpaid and struggle to provide? Or do I work for Uber or DoorDash or wait tables?” the Secretary remarked on a major network on the past Sunday.
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