--- title: "Head of NASA Threatens to Ground Every Single Commercial Flight Before Thanksgiving" description: "Transportation secretary Sean Duffy threatened to ground all commercial flights in the United States amid a prolonged government shutdown." date: "2025-11-03" modified: "2025-11-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/advanced-transport/head-nasa-ground-every-flight-thanksgiving" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Mass Transit" --- # Head of NASA Threatens to Ground Every Single Commercial Flight Before Thanksgiving ![Transportation secretary Sean Duffy threatened to ground all commercial flights in the United States amid a prolonged government shutdown.]() *Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images* Transportation secretary Sean Duffy, who's also [serving as NASA's interim administrator](), threatened to ground all commercial flights in the United States ahead of American Thanksgiving — some of the busiest air travel days of the year. An ongoing federal government shutdown has put a massive strain on flight operations since it kicked off on October 1, with air traffic controllers missing paychecks and even being [forced to take on second jobs]() to make ends meet. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [pleaded with lawmakers last week]() to end the shutdown, following [major delays]() and cancellations caused by staffing shortages. In baffling remarks [during a *CNBC* interview]() today, Duffy said he may end up grounding all commercial flights if the shutdown ends up impacting air safety. "If we thought that it was unsafe, we’ll shut the whole airspace down," he said, adding that the shutdown does "include an element of risk." "We won't let people travel," he said. "We're not there at this point. It's just significant delays." It's a dire situation, and a major escalation in rhetoric, amid one of the longest government shutdowns in US history. While being in control of both chambers, Republicans have accused Democrats of not letting up and agreeing to pass a bill that would exclude key healthcare measures and include Trump's brutal cuts to Medicaid and other government agencies. Among many other services, the air travel system has been put under immense pressure by the shutdown. "After 31 days without pay, air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue," the FAA wrote in a [social media post]() on Friday. "Currently, half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80 percent of air traffic controllers are absent at New York–area facilities." "As we continue to reiterate, we will never compromise on safety," the statement reads. "When staffing shortages occur, the FAA will reduce the flow of air traffic to maintain safety. This may result in delays or cancellations." **More on Duffy:** [*NASA Issues Horrified Response to Kim Kardashian*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()