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NOTE: NBC Chicago will offer a live feed of the press conference in the player above as it begins. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is set to deliver remarks at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Tuesday as airports face a deadline for more flight cancellations during the government shutdown. According to a release, Duffy will hold a press conference "to provide updates on air travel, including the stress our air traffic control system is under." The address is slated to begin at 3 p.m. CT and can be watched live in the player above as it begins. It comes as busy U.S. airports need to meet a higher Federal Aviation Administration target for reducing flights Tuesday after already canceling thousands to scale back demands on the nation’s aviation system during the government shutdown. Absences and signs of stress among traffic controllers, who haven't been paid in over a month, made it imperative to cut flights in the name of public safety, the FAA said, ordering domestic airlines last week to drop 4% of their flights at 40 major U.S. airports. After already canceling more than 7,900 since Friday, the goal for cutting flights rose to 6% on Tuesday and again to 10% later this week. Nearly 1,200 flights were canceled Tuesday, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions. The Chicago Department of Aviation reported 125 flight cancellations at O'Hare Airport as of 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Local It was unclear exactly how many additional flights would need to be canceled for the day, but there are fewer flights scheduled on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Severe weather is adding to the cancellations at some airports, including Chicago, where a winter system impacted several. O'Hare Airport has already seen ground delays and ground stops in recent days due to staffing issues, including on Monday, which saw a more than 12-hour delay program in place. The FAA also warned that staffing at over a dozen towers and control centers could delay planes departing for Phoenix, San Diego, the New York area and Houston, among other cities. In addition, the FAA expanded its flight restrictions Monday, barring business jets and many private flights from using a dozen airports already under commercial flight limits. The Senate passed legislation Monday to reopen the government, but the bill still needs to clear the House and final passage could be days away. Duffy made clear last week that flight cuts will remain until the FAA sees safety metrics improve after staffing levels stabilize at its air traffic control facilities. Many planes also aren’t where they’re supposed to be, which could slow the airlines’ return to normal operations even after the FAA lifts the order, said Mike Taylor, who leads research on airports and airlines at J.D. Power. Tuesday marks the second missed payday for controllers. Some have started calling out of work, citing stress and the need to take on second jobs. It's unclear how quickly controllers might be paid once the shutdown ends — it took more than two months to receive full back pay after the 35-day shutdown that ended in 2019, said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. President Donald Trump took to social media on Monday to pressure controllers to “get back to work, NOW!!!” He called for a $10,000 bonus for those who’ve stayed on the job and suggested docking pay for those who haven’t. Daniels said the shutdown has made controllers’ demanding jobs even more stressful, leading to fatigue and increased risks. He said the number who are retiring or quitting is “growing” by the day.
