On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that ten percent of flights will be cancelled at 40 unspecified American airports that experience “ high volume ” starting on Friday, Nov. 7, assuming the government shutdown hasn’t ended by then.

The decision came after a “gut check,” Duffy explained at a press conference. It’s a strong signal that the effect the shutdown is having on air travel is starting to snowball, and that Friday’s cancellations could be the start of a logistical catastrophe on a historic scale.

Air traffic controllers are the federal employees who are normally paid money to understand the position in 3D space of every object at or near a given airport, including and endless parade of flying tubes filled with people and jet fuel.

Detailed dem

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