U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is warning that flight delays at airports are likely to get worse as the government shutdown continues to drag on.

Over 50 air traffic controller staffing shortages were reported at U.S. airports between October 24 and October 26, according to CNN, while more than 3,000 flights were delayed on October 26 alone. Speaking to Fox News, Duffy described how many controllers have been "wearing thin" and calling out of work, given their status as essential employees who have to remain on the job without pay during the government shutdown.

"I am seeing the stress," Duffy told Fox News's "Sunday Morning Futures" program, noting that many controllers have been forced to take second jobs to make ends meet. Duffy did not provide a direct answer when asked if it was currently safe to fly in the U.S., stating only that he wants controllers "focused on the airspace, not on the finances at home." 

On October 26, staffing shortages forced Los Angeles International Airport to temporarily halt flights until noon for the control tower handling arrivals and departures, while similar shortages led to an hours-long ground delay at Reagan National Airport in Virginia that same day. Between October 1 and October 26, Federal Aviation Administration facilities have reported 264 instances of staffing shortages, more than four times the number reported over that same period last year.