Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said his department may close some of the country’s airspace if the government shutdown continues into next week.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it,” he said at a press conference Tuesday.
The government shutdown has reached Day 35, and air traffic issues have caused widespread delays and cancellations at major U.S. airports.
Air traffic controllers are required to work without pay for the duration of the shutdown.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Department “will close the airspace down” or “restrict the airspace when we feel it’s not safe,” Mr. Duffy said.
