Thousands of flights were delayed on Nov. 6 as federal officials said a 10 percent cut at major U.S. airports is coming this week because of the government shutdown.
According to data from the FlightAware tracking service, there were more than 2,350 delays within, into, or out of the United States as of noon on Nov. 6. A little more than 50 cancellations were reported.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned in an interview that the shutdown would place additional pressure on travelers if it’s not resolved by the Thanksgiving holiday season.
“As we come into Thanksgiving, if we’re still in the shutdown posture, it’s going to be rough out there. Really rough,” Duffy told Fox News in an interview on Nov. 6. “And we’ll mitigate the safety side, but will you fly on time? Will your flight actually go? That is yet to be seen, but there’ll be more disruption.”
Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. Most have been on duty six days per week while putting in mandatory overtime. With some employees not showing up for work, taking second jobs, or not having money for child care or gas, staffing shortages during some shifts have led to flight delays at several U.S. airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cutback could affect thousands of flights nationwide because it directs more than 44,000 flights daily, including commercial passenger flights, cargo planes, and private aircraft. The agency didn’t identify which airports or cities would be affected but stated that the restrictions would remain in place as long as necessary.
Noting the unprecedented nature of the agency’s decision, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said during a Nov. 5 press conference that it must be done for safety reasons. He said 10 percent of flights would be cut at about 40 high-volume markets starting on Nov. 7.
“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said.
He noted that the FAA won’t “wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating.” He also said that if shutdown-related “pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional measures.”
The shutdown occurred after members of Congress failed to agree on how to fund the government, with Democrats seeking health care guarantees and an extension of subsidies that are due to expire at the end of the year. Republicans have said that any talk on health care should come only after the government is reopened.
Multiple attempts by the Senate to reopen the government have failed, mainly along party lines.
President Donald Trump has said that Republicans who control the Senate should move to terminate the filibuster so the party can pass a funding measure with a simple 50-vote majority.
The filibuster is a procedural tactic used to block legislation from advancing. It can “prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question,” according to the U.S Senate.
Filibusters on most legislation can be ended only if at least 60 senators, or three-fifths of all sworn-in members, vote to invoke cloture.
Republicans currently hold a 53–47 majority in the Senate and a 219–213 majority in the House.
Thousands of federal workers were furloughed because of the shutdown, and several agencies were shuttered. Some programs that directly affect Americans, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, have been suspended or delayed.
The Epoch Times contacted the FAA for comment on the flight delays but did not receive a response by publication time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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