Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Newsmax on Wednesday that the nation’s air travel system should be fully recovered in about a week — just in time for the Thanksgiving rush.
The news came after weeks of widespread disruptions tied to the federal shutdown.
Speaking on “Finnerty,” Duffy acknowledged the chaos travelers faced last weekend, when thousands of flights were delayed or canceled nationwide.
Staffing shortages across air-traffic control facilities, combined with workers missing pay during the shutdown, led to ground stops, cascading delays, and major congestion at key airports.
The shutdown triggered severe nationwide air-travel disruptions, peaking with more than 2,700 flight cancellations and over 10,000 delays in a single day.
Earlier days saw thousands more. The FAA ordered flight reductions at 40 major airports, starting at 4% and rising toward 10%.
“People who flew those days know how bad it was,” Duffy said. “But it is starting to get better.”
With the government now reopened, Duffy said air-traffic controllers will receive 70% of their back pay within 24 to 48 hours — money he believes will stabilize the workforce quickly and restore normal operations.
“Once we’re fully open … it’s going to take us probably up to a week to get back to normal, which is right before significant Thanksgiving travel,” he said.
Duffy also praised President Donald Trump for supporting a plan to reward air-traffic controllers who continued working every scheduled day during the shutdown despite missing paychecks.
“They’re patriots,” Duffy said. “For those who did come, let’s give them a $10,000 reward. I love that the president brought that up, and we are going to make it happen.”
He noted that many controllers took leave simply because they couldn’t afford gas, childcare, or basic expenses during the freeze in federal pay — something he said he does not fault them for. But those who stayed on the job, he emphasized, deserve recognition and rapid compensation.
“We’re going to use the resources, find the resources, to reward those great controllers,” Duffy said.
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