Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has ordered flight cancellations at 40 of the busiest airports in the US, citing concerns about safety measures and air traffic controller staffing levels. The former reality TV show contestant, who has no prior experience in transportation, aviation, or infrastructure, claimed that the cuts will continue until safety improves and staffing levels stabilize.
However, according to The New York Times, flight interruptions were “comparatively benign” last week, despite the government shutdown. Duffy has warned of potential “mass chaos” during the busiest travel season of the year.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported that airlines have already canceled over 9,000 flights since the cuts were ordered last week. The administration has now increased its target for reducing domestic flights at the busiest airports from 4% to 6%, with plans to further increase cuts to 10% by Friday.
Duffy has cited reports of loss of separation between planes in the air, more runway incursions, and concerns from airline pilots about the responses they are receiving from controllers. However, he has not shared the specific data that prompted his decision to impose the flight cuts.
The nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers has been exposed during the shutdown, with many controllers being forced to take side jobs to make ends meet. Union leaders have reported that the number of controllers retiring or quitting during the shutdown is increasing daily.
Despite this, the head of the air traffic controllers’ union has emphasized that they are not walking off the job as part of an organized protest and are committed to their work. However, President Trump has criticized those who have taken time off during the shutdown and has called for docking pay for those who didn’t stay on the job.
Critics of the Trump administration argue that actions such as Duffy’s flight cancellations are intended to pressure congressional Democrats into folding on their efforts to end the shutdown, even though Senate Republicans and the president have refused to engage in budget negotiations.
This is not the first time that the government has shut down under the Trump administration. In late 2018, the government was shut down for over a month in an attempt to pressure Democrats into contributing more funding for a border wall. Similarly, Duffy’s cancellations are seen as political theater, with reports showing that flight interruptions are not as severe as he claims.
Duffy, who appeared on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston” and “Road Rules: All Stars” in the late ’90s, was appointed to lead the DOT despite having no experience in transportation. He has since made controversial decisions, such as reverting fuel economy standards and prioritizing Republican states for federal assistance.
In addition, he attempted to withhold transportation funding from local governments that did not align with Trump’s immigration policy and has called the government’s efforts on climate change an “agenda of control. ” He has also echoed Trump’s claim that the failure of an aircraft collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was due to diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices.
In July