Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy joins ‘Mornings with Maria’ to interrupt down security considerations, flight disruptions and the administration’s push to modernize air visitors management as China accelerates its drone and area ambitions.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insists it will likely be “secure to fly” as thousands and thousands of Individuals head into the Christmas journey rush — even because the nation’s high aviation regulator delivered a stark warning that U.S. air visitors management towers won’t ever attain full staffing ranges.
“You noticed that as we have been moving into the final days of the shutdown, we decreased the capability of airways by 10% as a result of we noticed the development traces going within the mistaken path. We are going to take no matter steps are essential to ensure the airspace is secure,” Duffy advised FOX Enterprise’ Maria Bartiromo on Thursday.
“So, as we glance to the Christmas season, sure, it may be secure to fly,” he added. “I simply hope that individuals pack their greatest attitudes and greatest spirits as they go to the airport and on the airplane.”
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Duffy’s assured take comes simply after the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) chief Bryan Bedford advised lawmakers Tuesday that U.S. air visitors management towers are unlikely to ever attain most staffing if the company continues working because it does now, acknowledging persistent shortages throughout a Home Aviation Subcommittee listening to.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy speaks at a convention discussing the launch of the “Make Journey Household Pleasant Once more” marketing campaign at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport on December 8, 2025 (Getty Photographs)
“The sincere reply, sir, is, if we proceed with enterprise as normal, by no means,” Bedford mentioned when Rep. Hank Johnson Jr., D-Ga., requested when air visitors management towers can be totally staffed.
Plans have been put in place, in accordance with Duffy, to broaden the capability of the federal air visitors management coaching college by 20%, which he claims will make up for the employment deficit over time.
“Now we have a venture supervisor that is going to construct our new air visitors management system,” the secretary additional detailed. “We realized that after 20 years of attempting to improve the system, the FAA, they’re nice at security, they don’t seem to be nice at constructing issues. And so we will usher in an outdoor contractor to do the work for us to assist us handle this huge venture.”
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The Division of Transportation has additionally reportedly supplied air visitors controllers who’re near retirement a 20% upfront money bonus to remain on the job.
“We’re taking a look at each angle to maintain extra controllers in our towers, to ensure we management the airspace,” Duffy mentioned. “We noticed this through the shutdown when folks did not are available, we began to scale back the capability of the airspace, and also you noticed loads of delays from that.”
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As AAA studies that greater than 122 million Individuals can be touring no less than 50 miles away from dwelling this vacation season, Duffy agreed he feels optimistic about easy takeoffs and landings.
“Controllers are again within the towers, we’re prepared for Christmas. And once more, we’re nonetheless quick, however we’re fixing that.”
Fox Information’ Ashley Carnahan contributed to this report.
