Travellers should not expect U.S. airport operations to return to normal if a deal is reached to end the longest government shutdown in American history.

Since last Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines serving the 40 busiest airports to reduce flights as some exhausted air traffic controllers have either called in sick or stopped working altogether after not being paid since Oct. 1.

Last week, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the flight reductions were necessary to ensure all aspects of the industry remains safe for travellers during air traffic control staffing shortages.

“More controllers aren’t coming to work day by day, the further they go without a paycheque,” Duffy told Fox News Sunday .

He warned Americans planning to visit family for the U.

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