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2h ago

Duffy Warns Parts of U.S. Airspace Could Close Next Week If Shutdown Continues

The warning follows weeks of unpaid work for roughly 13,000 controllers as nearly half of key facilities report shortages, with a second missed paycheck looming on Nov. 11.

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People wait in a security checkpoint line at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on Nov. 4, 2025.
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Overview

  • Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Department of Transportation may restrict or close portions of the national airspace within a week to preserve safety if staffing does not recover.
  • The FAA reports nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay and that close to 50% of its core facilities are short-staffed, including severe absenteeism in the New York area on Oct. 31.
  • To manage risk, the FAA has been slowing arrivals, imposing ground stops and other flow-control measures, which have produced widespread delays and localized cancellations.
  • Since Oct. 1, more than 3.2 million passengers have been affected by delays or cancellations, with recent days seeing thousands of delayed flights across major hubs such as Newark, JFK, DCA and O’Hare.
  • Unions and airlines are urging Congress to restore funding as controllers approach a second missed paycheck on Nov. 11 and tens of thousands of TSA officers continue screening travelers without pay.