GOP frets as shutdown threatens Thanksgiving

Republican lawmakers and the Trump administration are increasingly anxious that an ongoing standoff with Democrats over reopening the government may drag into Thanksgiving week, one of the country’s busiest travel periods.

- BY MICHAEL WILNER

CHRISTINA HOUSE Los Angeles Times DELTA crew members arrive at LAX on Friday. Flight cancellations and a projected increase in them are contributing to travel delays.

Already, hundreds of flights have been canceled since the Federal Aviation Administration issued an unprecedented directive limiting flight operations at the nation’s biggest airports, including in Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Washington, D.C.

Sean Duffy, the secretary of Transportation, told Fox News on Thursday that the administration is prepared to mitigate safety concerns if the shutdown continues into the holiday week, leaving air traffic controllers without compensation over multiple payroll cycles. But “will you fly on time? Will your flight actually go? That is yet to be seen,” the secretary said.

Although less than 3% of flights have been grounded, that number could rise to 20% by the holiday week, he added.

“It’s really hard — really hard — to navigate a full month of no pay, missing two pay periods. So I think you're going to have more significant disruptions in the airspace,” Duffy said. “And as we come into Thanksgiving, if we're still in a shutdown posture, it’s gonna be rough out there. Really rough.”