U.S. Division of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday raised considerations about air visitors controllers taking over second jobs to pay their payments throughout the federal government shutdown.
“In case you have a controller that is working six days every week, however has to consider, ‘How am I going to pay the mortgage, how am I going to make the automotive fee, how am I going to place meals on my youngsters’ desk, they must make decisions,” Duffy stated on the Home GOP’s press convention on the Capitol. “And the alternatives they’re making is to take a second job.”
Duffy’s assertion got here after U.S. Home Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted that air visitors controllers — important authorities workers who’re required to work with out pay through the lapse in funding — are working lengthy shifts in towers and facilities, then “hopping in a automotive and driving for Uber or delivering for DoorDash all night time.”
The transportation secretary discouraged air visitors controllers from searching for further employment on prime of an already demanding, high-stress job.
“Properly, I do not need my air visitors controllers to take a second job — I need them to do one job. I do not need them delivering for DoorDash, I do not need them driving Uber. I need them coming to their services, and controlling the air house,” Duffy stated, whereas acknowledging the monetary pressures they’re beneath to “put meals on their desk, feed their youngsters and help their relations.”
Duffy additionally stated he “cannot assure” that passengers’ flights will take off on time or that they will not be canceled because the second-longest authorities shutdown in U.S. historical past drags on.
Johnson stated that 19,000 flights have been delayed throughout the U.S. from Saturday to Monday, citing knowledge from flight monitoring web site FlightAware. One other 1,600 flights have been canceled over the identical interval.
Duffy defined that sporadic air visitors controller staffing shortages might result in flight delays and cancellations, with the division intentionally slowing down flight visitors to make sure that passengers stay protected.
“It is not shifting as many flights as potential, it is shifting as many flights as potential safely,” Duffy stated. “And if we will not try this, you may see the flights come down. You may see the delays, you may see the cancellations.”
Flight delays and cancellations are mounting because the U.S. enters the busy vacation journey season, with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching.
