President Donald Trump’s Transportation Secretary said that he “can’t guarantee” flights wouldn’t be delayed or canceled as the Federal Aviation Administration struggles with staffing shortages amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Thousands of flights have been delayed across the U.S. this week, while three major airports issued ground stops Thursday, which was attributed to staffing issues due to the shutdown as it entered day 23.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the shutdown was impacting air traffic control, and urged controllers to “come to work even if you don’t get a paycheck.”
“I can’t guarantee you that your flight’s going to be on time,” Duffy said Thursday at a press conference in the Capitol, alongside House Republican leadership. “I can’t guarantee that your flight’s not going to be canceled.”
Some 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration officers must work during the government shutdown, but are not being paid.
Duffy said the department “was all about safety,” and thanked the air traffic controllers who are coming into work without pay.
“We appreciate that. Come to work even if you don’t get a paycheck,” Duffy said. “We need you to come to work. But if they do not, we’ll know whose fault it is.”
An air traffic controller revealed last week that he is being forced to work as a DoorDash driver to pay for his daughter’s tuition fees because of the shutdown.
The FAA said that flights were delayed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C., LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey Thursday due to staffing issues.
Nearly 5,000 flights within, into or out of the U.S. were delayed Thursday, while more than 700 were canceled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
The president has refused to meet with congressional Democrats to negotiate ending the shutdown.
It is now one of the longest in history, and the administration is coming under increasing pressure from Congress to act on cost of living issues such as the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and persistently high food prices.
Democrats blocked legislation Thursday proposed by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) to pay some federal workers, including the military, during the shutdown, which they argued would let the president pick and choose who does or does not get a paycheck.
Throughout the shutdown, Democrats have pointed out how Trump has allowed Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to determine which projects to cancel and whether to lay off federal workers.
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