Airspace closure possible due to government shutdown according to Transportation Secretary

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's been over a month since the government has been shut down, causing mass delays at the airports, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it could get a whole lot worse if this continues on.

During a news briefing with the SEPTA rail system, Duffy said that if that if the shutdown continues into next week, it could cause "mass chaos."

"You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it," Duffy said. "We don’t have the air traffic controllers."

"I think obviously that would be very concerning and really unprecedented," said Heather Irving, a luxury travel advisor for Hi Boutique Travel."

Irving said that the shutdown has impacted how far out people have been booking trips.

"Before people would book at least 6-12 months in advance," Irving said. "Now people are booking 1-2 months in advance.

Meagan Stokes, a travel advisor for FORA, said it's important to plan ahead to avoid running into any issues.

"There may be fewer flight options. There may be some rerouting that happens. That's really going to keep travelers on their toes," Stokes said. "[Try] booking a refundable flight or a refundable hotel. Make sure that their dates are flexible—like traveling in the middle of the week."

KXAN reached out to several Texas politicians on their thoughts on the shutdown in relation to its impact on airports. The reaction across the aisle is spilt on who to blame.

U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin said: "For five weeks, we have been asking Republicans to stop the shutdown and sit down to resolve the healthcare crisis they have created. If Trump still knows the Art of the Deal, now would be the time to negotiate before we experience an air travel crisis."

On the US Senate floor last week, Senator John Corynn said: "Democrats told the press they will not relent on their shutdown unless there are ‘planes falling out of the sky,’ and they should be ashamed that they are putting Americans in harm’s way for politics’ sake."

KXAN reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration and Austin-Bergstrom Airport on the potential of airspace closures. We will update this story if a response is received.

KXAN also reached out to the Texas Military Department (TMD). TMD said they have not received a request for support related to federal airspace operations at this time.