Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns Thanksgiving holiday travel to slow to a trickle

María Paula Mijares Torres, Bloomberg News on Nov 9, 2025

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that U.S. air travel would come to a virtual standstill during the Thanksgiving holiday in late November if the government shutdown persists, as more air-traffic controllers opt not to work without paychecks.

“As we get closer to Thanksgiving travel, I think what’s going to happen is you’re going to have air travel slow to a trickle as everyone wants to travel to see their families,” Duffy told "Fox News Sunday." “I think we’re going to see air traffic controllers, very few of them coming to work.”

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut flights by 10% by Nov. 14 due to a shortage of air-traffic controllers, who are required to work but won’t be paid until the government reopens.

Kevin Hassett, one of President Donald Trump’s key economic advisers, suggested that disruption around Thanksgiving — which includes the Black Friday shopping rush — would set back the U.S. economy.

“That Thanksgiving time is one of the hottest times of the year for the economy,” Hassett said on CBS’ "Face the Nation." “And if people aren’t traveling at that moment then we really could be looking at a negative quarter for the fourth quarter.”

More air traffic controllers are choosing to stay home or work other jobs to stay afloat, Duffy said. The staffing disruption is causing major flight delays, cancellations and temporary halts at some of the largest airports, including New York and Chicago.

“A lot of these controllers who are young make less than $100,000, single-earning, have a kid or two at home, it’s very challenging,” Duffy said on CNN’s State of the Union. “It’s going to last well beyond the time when the government opens up.”

Air travel has become a casualty of the standoff in Washington over federal funding. Republicans blame the longest shutdown in U.S. history on Democrats, who say they won’t agree to reopen the government until expiring health-care subsidies are extended by one year.

“I think we have to be honest about where this is going — it doesn’t get better, it gets worse, until these air traffic controllers are going to be paid,” Duffy told Fox. He cited FAA plans to call for cutting flights by as much as 20% if the staffing shortages deteriorate further.

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