Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that there could be chaos in the skies next week if the government shutdown drags on and air traffic controllers miss a second paycheck.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies next week if the government shutdown drags on and air traffic controllers miss a second paycheck.

Airlines said this week 3.2 million passengers have been hit by delays or cancelled flights due to a spike in air traffic controller absences. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

WASHINGTON - Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday that the U.S. might be forced to close parts of its airspace if staffing shortages amid the government shutdown continue. The shutdown, which is dragging into its second month, has meant that essential workers, including air traffic controllers, have been working without pay. This has led to a shortage of anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 controllers, according to Duffy. Flight delays and cancellations have been piling up in airports across the U.S. following the government shutdown. Duffy said the situation in U.S. airports will only get worse as the shutdown drags on. Addressing air travel safety, Duffy said flight delays and cancellations are ways to ensure safety. In a statement, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said airports in Houston experienced "longer than normal delays in screening" due to staffing shortages over the weekend. "While the vast majority of our nationwide operations remain minimally impacted by the government shutdown…