US air traffic controllers are increasingly looking for second jobs and calling in sick as they continue to work for free during the government shutdown, according to the US transportation secretary.
“The controllers are worn out,” Sean Duffy told Fox News on Sunday, as some flights were grounded on the California coast due to staffing shortages.
Since the government shutdown on Oct. 1, air traffic controllers, considered essential workers, have been ordered to continue doing their jobs without pay.
But some were missing, causing airports to stop or slow plane movements, leading to delays caused by weather and other problems.
More than 3,000 U.S. flights were delayed Sunday, and Duffy said he expected the situation to worsen.
“I'm seeing stress,” Duffy told Sunday Morning Futures, adding that he has met with several supervisors to hear their concerns firsthand.
“They get a second job, they ask, 'Can I drive for Uber, can I find another source of income to make ends meet?' – he continued.
Duffy added that on Saturday there were 22 alerts at airports that flights would be delayed due to a shortage of workers, one of the highest numbers since the shutdown began.
The US government shutdown entered its 26th day on Sunday, making it the second-longest shutdown in history.
Duffy has repeatedly warned that aviation regulators will reduce the number of planes in the air if there is a shortage of safety personnel.
In his interview, he did not directly answer the question of whether it was safe to fly in the US, but instead addressed air traffic controllers directly.
“I need my controllers to focus on the airspace and not the finances at home,” Duffy said.
On Sunday, some planes were grounded at Los Angeles International Airport due to staff shortages, causing disruptions at the nation's fifth-busiest airport and one of the world's busiest, as well as other flights heading north to the city of Oakland.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alert came in at 8:45 a.m. local time on Sunday. Many flights were back on schedule before noon.
However, flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were delayed an average of 82 minutes due to staffing shortages, and the FAA said Dallas-Fort Worth, the second-busiest airport in the country, could face problems due to staffing shortages later in the day.
The FAA warned passengers in California to check with airlines for updated departure times.
The problem comes ahead of Game 3 of the World Series, set to be played in Los Angeles on Monday night, and about a month before the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the busiest periods for flying in the United States.
Air travel tensions in the US helped end the 2019 government shutdown. At the time, the suspension was in its fifth week and had disrupted airline operations, including pilot training.
This prompted several air traffic controllers to stay home on the same day, January 25, 2019, temporarily halting travel at New York's LaGuardia Airport.
That same day, Donald Trump, then in his first term as president, agreed to sign a short-term spending bill, effectively ending the government shutdown after 35 days.
