EPA/ShutterstockFlight delays and cancellations continued to hamper US air travel for a third day as Transport Secretary Sean Duffy warned air traffic would be “reduced to a trickle” if the US government shutdown continued.
More than 2,200 flights to, from or within the United States were cancelled. 7200 The flight was delayed late Sunday afternoon, according to flight tracking system FlightAware. The longest delays were reported in Newark, New Jersey, averaging more than two hours.
Lawmakers are working on a possible deal to reach a compromise on government funding and end the lockdown, according to US media reports. An encouraging sign is that lawmakers are working on a possible deal.
The Senate was scheduled to reconvene on Sunday for a rare weekend session.
Duffy warned that the consequences for air travel would be even more severe if they did not end the impasse soon.
“You'll see air travel go down to a trickle,” he said on CNN Sunday. He added that travelers trying to fly home for Thanksgiving later this month may not be able to get there.
“A lot of them won't be able to get on a plane because there won't be many flights unless this thing opens up again,” he said.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last week that it would reduce air travel capacity by 6% this weekend and 10% by next weekend at the nation's 40 busiest airports. The cuts do not apply to international flights, but some airlines may decide to cancel some of those flights, the FAA said.
Air traffic controllers, who are not paid during the shutdown, are reported to be tired and not reporting to work, leading to reductions in air traffic quotas.
Duffy said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered to bring in military air traffic controllers to help, but he rejected the offer because they are not certified to control air traffic at civilian airports.
In total, hundreds of thousands of federal workers have not received pay since the government ran out of money on October 1. Food assistance for low-income Americans was also in limbo, with the administration agreeing to pay only half of the monthly benefits.
Sunday marked the 40th day of the longest shutdown in history as Republicans and Democrats still cannot agree on a resolution to fund the reopening of the government.
Republicans and Democrats blamed each other for causing the gridlock and disrupting travel.
The White House on Friday said Democrats were “bringing a man-made disaster upon Americans simply trying to make a life-saving medical trip or get home for Thanksgiving.”
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday accused Republicans of “playing with people's livelihoods.”
Democrats have refused to support any Republican spending plan unless it includes money for health insurance subsidies, while Republicans want to provide funding to the government without any strings attached.
President Donald Trump over the weekend proposed sending money to buy health insurance directly to Americans rather than to insurance companies.
Republican senators are working on a compromise package that could break the impasse with a vote on the bill, possibly on Sunday.
