GOP lawmaker warns of possible food, medicine shortages as flights grounded
The ongoing government shutdown that has grounded, delayed and canceled passenger flights has also wreaked havoc on cargo flights, prompting alarm about the communities that especially rely on imported goods....
By Fox News · Fox News
The ongoing government shutdown that has grounded, delayed and canceled passenger flights has also wreaked havoc on cargo flights, prompting alarm about the communities that especially rely on imported goods. As the secretary of transportation announced further reductions to flight volumes on Thursday, that concern is front of mind for Rep. Nicholas Begich, R-Alaska. "This is very concerning for Alaska. Many of our rural communities and small villages aren’t connected to any type of road system and rely on air travel for basic living essentials," Begich said. FLIGHT DELAYS WORSEN AS UNPAID AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS FEEL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN PAIN "Right now, some of our coastal communities are already struggling to get groceries and basic supplies because extreme weather has limited marine transportation. If aviation capacity continues to be disrupted, those challenges will only worsen," he said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday that he expected U.S. flight capacity to fall by 10% over the next few days at 40 of the country’s busiest airports, compounding an already-existing slowdown across the country. Many air traffic controllers and TSA agents have been asked to work without pay for over a month during the government shutdown, prompting a growing number to call out or find alternative sources of revenue. According to FlightAware, an online flight tracking service, air travel in the U.S. had reported 2,992 delays and 56 flight cancellations by 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday. "This is data-based," Duffy said. "This is about: where’s the pressure? How do we alleviate the pressure." SEAN DUFFY WARNS OF RECORD STRAIN ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS AHEAD OF FIRST MISSED PAYCHECK Although cargo and shipping flights are not uniquely impacted by the shutdown, they also won’t receive preferential treatment on the runway. According to pilots familiar with how planes communicate with air traffic control, shipping flights compete with commercial travelers for space a…