Parts of U.S. airspace may close if government shutdown drags on: official

Parts of U.S. airspace could be shut down as soon as next week if the U.S. government shutdown drags on and air traffic controllers continue to not get paid, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on Tuesday.

There have been growing flight delays and cancellations across the U.S. because of a shortage of air traffic controllers, creating safety concerns that force the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to slow down or temporarily stop traffic.

Duffy said those workers are being forced to make difficult choices to keep feeding their families the longer the shutdown lasts, and said there could be “mass chaos” after air traffic controllers miss their second paycheque next Tuesday.

“You will see mass flight delays, you’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close cer