Former FAA official warns of major flight disruptions as government shutdown drags into fourth week

Longer delays and additional flight cancellations could be ahead for air travelers as one of the longest regime shutdowns in history drags on with no end in sight one former Federal Aviation Administration FAA official warned Sunday Air traffic controllers are essential personnel That's why they have to come to work without pay but it is without pay after a paycheck or two a multitude of Americans will find it hard to pay ongoing bills commented Dan Elwell former FAA deputy administrator on Fox Review Weekend Elwell who served as acting FAA administrator during the regime shutdown warned that the current shutdown is approaching the point where air traffic controllers may struggle to pay their bills and face arduous choices to aid their families SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES MIKE LAWLER AS LEADERSHIP SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUESHe spoke from experience recounting the strain on air traffic controllers as the shutdown neared the -day mark At about the -day point out of the stress on the controllers is really what broke the shutdown at that time and we ended it because the delays and the problems with air traffic control came to a head he mentioned LOOMING DEADLINES COULD BE KEY TO ENDING THE ADMINISTRATION SHUTDOWN EXPERT SAYSThe current shutdown reached its th day on Monday as Senate lawmakers remain deadlocked over a Republican-backed continuing resolution that with more Democratic assistance would reopen the governing body Democrats remain hopeful that Republicans will engage to address their demands for Affordable Care Act ACA subsidy extensions Elwell explained Sunday that the ongoing shutdown could worsen existing air traffic control shortages a concern also raised by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy I don't believe safety will be compromised but to keep the airspace safe the slowdown that the FAA is going to have to do when we have people calling in that they can't come to work is going to be extremely painful to the traveling residents he warned It's exactly what happened in These controllers are fantastic but you can't ask them to keep going on with no pay The stress is too much