"Meanwhile, the nation's longest government shutdown threatens to wreck up to a fifth of fliers' plans as the holiday travel season approaches. Thanksgiving, falling on Nov. 27 this year, is just three weeks away, and government officials are raising concerns about the potential for even deeper air traffic reductions. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that air traffic controllers will miss their second paycheck this coming Tuesday, if the government shutdown continues, which could cause cancellations to 15% or even 20% of flights."
"To make ends meet while not getting government paychecks, a growing number of federal workers in aviation are calling out sick to take on second jobs like waiting tables or becoming food delivery drivers for Uber, Duffy said. Most air traffic controllers can navigate missing one paycheck, but "virtually none" can handle missing two paychecks, he told Fox News. If more air traffic controllers come to work, then the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would be able to move the numbers "in the other direction," Duffy said."
The Trump administration ordered 10% air traffic reductions next week at 40 major airports. Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle urged passengers to book backup tickets on other carriers after posting on LinkedIn. The ongoing government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, threatens up to a fifth of travelers' plans ahead of Thanksgiving. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air traffic controllers will miss a second paycheck if the shutdown continues, potentially causing 15% to 20% of flights to be cancelled. Many federal aviation workers are taking second jobs, and staffing shortfalls could worsen holiday disruptions unless the shutdown ends.
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