The Department of Transportation may close some parts of the airspace if enough air traffic controllers don’t show up to work, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Tuesday.

The U.S. government shutdown has entered its second month, creating mounting disruptions for air travelers nationwide as thousands of air traffic controllers work without pay and staffing shortages strain airport operations [7].

Major airlines are providing meals and support to unpaid air traffic controllers and TSA officers during the federal government shutdown.

A surge in callouts among air traffic controllers "is straining staffing levels" at multiple airports across the U.S. -- including in the New York City area where 80% of controllers are absent, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday evening.

As Americans prepare for Thanksgiving holiday travel, the government shutdown is likely to result in more airport delays due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.

Air traffic controllers press lawmakers to end government shutdown, saying unpaid workers and staffing shortages are putting aviation safety at risk.

It's putting stress on people. It's not fair to those people. It's also putting stress on the economy,” United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said.

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.