Expected salary as US flight delay controllers, ettravelworld

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US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Friday that more flights were expected to be delayed, with air traffic controllers missing their first paycheck, entering their 24th day.

About 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees must work without pay during the government shutdown. The Wardens will miss their first full payday on Tuesday.

“I think Tuesday and then as we get closer, I think you’re going to see more disruption,” Duffy said on Fox News’ “American News.”

The state of air security, signs of delays or cancellations, anything that suggests the shutdown is making life more difficult for Americans, which in turn could make life more difficult for lawmakers to prevent, has been closely watched.

At a press conference at the Philadelphia airport, Duffy said the money to pay for air traffic control students at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Controller Academy will run out in a few weeks, and several students have already decided to withdraw or start.

Airlines are getting busted for more violations.

Republicans, including Duffy, blame Democrats for not opening the government. Democrats say it’s President Donald Trump and Republicans who have refused to negotiate over health care subsidies that expire at the end of the year.

Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen said Republicans need to negotiate. “Supervisors should never have to see if they’re going to find money to pay their mortgage or put food on the table,” Larsen said.

National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels said at a press conference that controllers are under a lot of stress and some are taking second jobs to pay the bills.

The shutdown “leads to an unnecessary distraction and they can’t be 100% focused on their work, which makes this system less secure,” Daniels said. “We didn’t start the shutdown. We’re not ending the shutdown – our elected officials are. And our message is simple – end the shutdown today.”

About 6.6% of delayed flights on Thursday were due to air traffic controllers – slightly higher than the normal 5% – but well below the 53% seen in previous days during the transport department’s outbreak.

On Thursday, the FAA said it was forcing travel delays at airports in New York, Washington, Newark and Houston, according to the Air Traffic Control Directory.

In 2019, a 35-day shutdown extended wait times at some airport checkpoints after the number of screeners and TSA officers manhandled workers. Authorities were forced to slow down air traffic in New York and Washington.

The FAA has about 3,500 air traffic controllers below target employee levels, and many were forced to work overtime and a six-day week even in the face of the shutdown.

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