GOP leaders say airports will be 'flooded' with cancellations if Democrats don't budge

Republican Reps. Tom Emmer (Minn.) and Lisa McClain (Mich.) blamed Democrats for continued air travel issues amid the government shutdown on Tuesday.

“Airports will be flooded with flight cancelations and delays, amid the busiest time to travel all year,” Emmer, the House majority whip, said at a press conference alongside McClain, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Rules Committee Chair Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.).

“As TSA agents and air traffic controllers show up without pay, Democrats brag they won't budge until planes fall out of the sky. Really? Really? Seriously, that’s the Democrats’ model?” an animated McClain remarked. 

The Hill has reached out to the offices of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for comment. 

As part of the Department of Transportation's (DOT) shutdown contingency plan, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) furloughed more than 11,000 employees, roughly a quarter of the agency’s workforce. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay during the shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. Hiring and training have also continued. 

But Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted an increase in air traffic controllers calling out sick during a press conference on Oct. 6. Three days later, he said on Fox Business’s “Varney & Co.” that DOT could dismiss those taking sick days. 

“We need more controllers, but we need the best and the brightest, the dedicated controllers, and if we have some on our staff that aren’t dedicated like we need, we’re going to let them go,” Duffy added.

The Transportation secretary added that average share of delays stemming from controller shortages, which was five percent prior to the shutdown, had jumped to 53 percent.

Airports across the country, from Hollywood Burbank Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, reported staffing shortages last week, causing disruptions.

According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, nearly 3,000 flights within, into or out of the country have been delayed so far Tuesday, with over 120 such flights cancelled.

In January 2019, during the last government shutdown, an increase in air traffic controllers calling out sick resulted in travel delays along the East Coast.