Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters on Tuesday that he remains unsure when air travel will return to normal, despite a promising deal taking shape in Congress to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Duffy cited ongoing shortages of air traffic controllers for his decision to throttle flight capacity at as many as 40 major airports across the country, largely because of concerns about controllers who have repeatedly called out sick or stopped coming to work since the shutdown began.
“I question their dedication,” Duffy said during a press conference at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. “I question their patriotism.”