Transportation Secretary Warns: "There Are Going To Be Challenges" With Flights On Fourth Of July Weekend Transportation Secretary Warns: "There Are Going To Be Challenges" With Flights On Fourth Of July Weekend Since Memorial Day weekend, airlines have canceled 20,000 flights and delayed more than 173,000, resulting in one of the worst travel periods for Americans. In a matter of days, travel demand is set to soar as 3.55 million people are expected to fly over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Concerns are already mounting as persistent pilot and crew shortages and understaffing among the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are expected to create another perfect storm of flight disruptions. On Tuesday evening, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke with NBC Nightly News'' Lester Holt about the travel mess and offered no reassurance about an immediate resolution to chronic flight delays and cancellations plaguing airports across the country. Holt asked Buttigieg, "Is the July 4 holiday a recipe for disaster given the issues with the system right now?" Buttigieg answered, "There are going to be challenges, but we''re watching it closely and we''re talking to the airlines every day about their responsibility to make sure that they can accommodate any issues that weather or other curveballs might throw at them.