US shutdown nears 1-month mark, threatening flights and food aid
US transport secretary predicts growing cancellations, saying air traffic controllers will receive a ‘big fat zero’ pay cheque
With the US government shutdown stumbling towards the one-month mark, the effects of the stand-off between Republicans and Democrats were being felt further away from the Capitol, as flights began to back up and food aid was drying up.
“What I see coming forward, as we get to Monday, tomorrow, Tuesday and Wednesday, that you’re going to see more staffing shortages in towers, which means you’re going to see more delays, more cancellations,” Duffy told Fox News on Sunday.
Flights from Los Angeles to Oakland, California were halted for nearly two hours on Sunday morning because of staffing issues from furloughed air traffic controllers.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the notice on the department’s website said, going on to blame Democrats for the shutdown.