International flights will not be affected by the closure, the Transport Secretary said
Secretary Duffy said there will be a 10% reduction in staffing at 40 locations across the country as staffing shortages drive the FAA’s longest government shutdown.
International flights will continue to operate as normal despite the ongoing government shutdown, travel secretary Sean Duffy said Friday.
Duffy spoke to reporters this morning at Reagan National Airport as the government shutdown increases travel disruptions and increases travel disruptions across the country, affecting millions of passengers and forcing the government to reduce flight volume.
“International flights will not be affected, and there is a reason for that,” Duffy said. “We have international agreements that we follow and, because of those international agreements, I’m not going to touch those international flights.”
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Duffy said that if the agreement is violated, other countries could eventually cut down American aircraft. He said that would have a “long-term impact on our ability to send travelers from the US to those countries that will cooperate.”
The Airlines Plane seen at CanCan Amazwe Airport. (Artur Saphak / Nurphoto via Getty Images)
United Airlines told FOX Business that the flights operated by United connecting the two major airports of the airports with its international flights will not maintain our operations and give customers as many opportunities as possible to continue their journey. ”
United Airlines planes take off on the runway at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
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American Airlines told FOX Business that it won’t affect its overseas operations at this time, either.
The Federal Aviation Administration said this week it would cut back air traffic With 10% of the top 40 volume markets to maintain safety amid closures and ongoing traffic control shortages. Traffic could displace thousands of flights each day as long as the shutdown continues.
Airlines are working to limit the impact as FAA Cuts Air Traffic by 10% in all 40 markets from the shutdown
The cutbacks were introduced to ease pressure on the airline, which is already facing a sales crisis.
Air traffic controllers are forced to work overtime, with most logging six weeks and 10-hour days. Now, they have gone more than a month without paying, again. Some have started calling because of the financial situation, which leads to flight delays at Major airlines.
People travel through Ronald Reagan Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. (anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
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More than 3.2 million airline passengers have been affected by delays or cancellations attributed to staff shortages and air traffic jams at air traffic control centers since the government shutdown began on Oct.
Reuters contributed to this report.
