A Director of the National Economic Council of the United States, Kevin Hassett, cautioned that US economic growth might drastically drop if the ongoing federal shutdown continues.
During an interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday, November 9, Hassett noted that the lack of air traffic controllers is causing significant travel disruptions as Thanksgiving approaches.
“Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year for the economy, and if people can’t travel during that period, we could see a negative quarter for the fourth quarter,” the White House economic adviser explained.
### Flight Delays Hinder US Travel as Thanksgiving Approaches
On Sunday, US-based airlines canceled over 2,200 flights, raising concerns among passengers. To address these issues, the country’s Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, warned that air travel will slow down to a “trickle” because air traffic control is experiencing severe staffing shortages as Thanksgiving draws near. He attributed this situation to the ongoing federal shutdown.
Duffy’s statement came after several airlines reportedly faced their third consecutive day of mandatory flight cuts due to delays and cancellations that interfered with travel schedules on Saturday, November 8.
Notably, the federal shutdown has lasted 40 days, resulting in a shortage of air traffic controllers who, like other federal employees, have not received pay for weeks.
“It’s only going to get worse. During the two weeks before Thanksgiving, you’ll see air travel drop significantly,” Duffy stated on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
### Impact on Travelers and Flight Operations
These US flight delays have disrupted the plans of millions of individuals, many of whom had preferred to travel before Thanksgiving—a significant holiday taking place on November 27 this year.
Still, Duffy warned that many travelers will be unable to board airplanes due to insufficient flights if the situation remains unchanged.
Following his remarks, analysts noted that Sunday was the worst day for flight cancellations since the shutdown began on October 1. Reduced operations will be enforced at 40 major airports because of safety concerns linked to air traffic control staffing shortages.
Sources mentioned that flight cutbacks are expected to escalate to 6% on Tuesday and reach 10% by November 14.
In compliance with the FAA’s instructions, many airlines have already announced cancellations for the upcoming days. For example, United Airlines shared plans to cancel 190 flights on Monday and 269 on Tuesday.
### Federal Shutdown Raises Tensions in the Airline Industry
As of Sunday, 4:20 p.m. ET (2120 GMT), at least 2,215 US flights had been canceled and more than 7,200 delayed amid worsening conditions, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking website.
Additionally, the FAA reported that 12 control towers were experiencing staffing issues earlier that day.
Beyond these challenges, Secretary Duffy highlighted that more air traffic controllers have retired since the federal shutdown started on October 1. He informed reporters that the FAA is currently short about 1,000 to 2,000 controllers to meet full staffing requirements.
Duffy explained that he had been paying skilled controllers to continue working rather than retire. Before the shutdown, approximately four controllers retired per day; now, that number has surged to around 15 to 20 daily.
On Saturday alone, approximately 1,550 flights were canceled and 6,700 were delayed—a rise from 1,025 cancellations and 7,000 delays reported on Friday.
Sources close to the situation mentioned that airline officials privately stated they could schedule and plan very few flights, as many were delayed. There is growing concern about the system’s ability to function if staffing problems further deteriorate.
Meanwhile, the Senate is moving toward a deal to reopen the government, which would fund operations through January 2026.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/finance/white-house-adviser-says-shutdown-may-push-us-q4-growth-into-negative-territory/