Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has slammed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) for voting against funding that would revamp the U.S.’s aging air traffic control system.
Flight Disruptions Causing Chaos
Taking to the social media platform X on Tuesday, Warren quoted a post by Fox News, which mentioned Duffy's comments about dressing up to travel on flights.
"Trump ripped away rules to make airlines compensate you for canceled flights," she said, adding that President Donald Trump had fired air traffic control staff and that flight disruptions were "causing chaos" for travelers. She then slammed Duffy, saying that amid all of these issues, the Transportation Secretary urged travelers to "dress for success."
It's worth noting that the Trump administration, earlier this year, had rescinded a rule that allowed passengers to be compensated in the event of a flight delay or disruptions.
Sean Duffy Claps Back
Responding to Warren's comments, Duffy criticized the Senator for voting against funding to modernize the ATC system in the U.S. "Senator Warren voted against $12.5 billion to modernize America's air traffic control system," Duffy said in the post.
Duffy had earlier noted that the total amount of funding required to modernize the technology would be upwards of $31 billion, including the initial $12.5 billion amount outlined during the early days of the Trump administration.
Flight Disruptions During Shutdown
The historic 42-day government shutdown had a widespread impact on the aviation industry in the U.S., with Duffy warning of widespread delays, as ATCs and employees worked without pay and faced uncertainty over backpay guarantees. The Trump administration, too, announced flight cuts across major U.S. airports to deal with staffing shortages.
American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) CEO Robert Isom had also urged the lawmakers to reach an agreement to reopen the government, also sharing that the airline was facing “difficulties" in terms of "operating delays and issues with air traffic control.”
While the workers were assured back pay by Duffy, he also shared that 776 ATCs and technicians would receive a $10,000 bonus for showing up to work every day during the shutdown.
Sean Duffy vs Gavin Newsom
The comments came after Duffy faced off against California Governor Gavin Newsom, who criticized Duffy for suggesting American travelers dress up during flights ahead of Thanksgiving. Duffy responded to the comments by taking an apparent swipe at the former's taste in fashion, reassuring that passengers would be allowed to wear "skinny jeans" on flights.
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