Amid rising tensions due to the prolonged federal government shutdown, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy paid an unannounced visit to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). According to WMAR2 News, the visit, which occurred earlier this week, spotlighted the impact of the shutdown on air travel and federal employees, particularly air traffic controllers who have begun to feel the strain of missing paychecks.
Despite fears that the shutdown could lead to disruptions in air travel, Duffy assured that for now, BWI's air traffic control tower remains fully staffed. In a statement detailed by FOX Baltimore, Duffy emphasized the importance of safety over timeliness, saying, "But you are seeing a few more cancellations and delays in the system, and that’s because of the shutdown."
During his BWI visit, Duffy also met privately with air traffic controllers, who, on that day, were beginning to feel the financial pinch as they saw partial or no pay.
Secretary Duffy's criticism was not reserved solely for the situation at airports. He aimed at Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who had previously shown support for federal workers at a press conference. Duffy's pointed remarks, as reported by FOX Baltimore, included, "The problem though, is, Wes Moore comes here and says two things: one, I support air traffic controllers, I’m a supporter of government employees and in the next breath, he supports the government shutdown. You can't have it both ways, governor." Duffy's comments reflect the political divide at BWI and on a broader scale, highlighting the stalemate in Washington that has led to the shutdown.
Duffy hasn’t said when the shutdown will end, but stressed that DOT and FAA leaders are doing all they can to reduce disruptions. Talks are still happening, but there’s no clear solution yet. Both political parties haven’t agreed on a plan to reopen the government, leaving thousands of federal workers uncertain and impacting essential services.
