The Federal Aviation Administration has begun a partial rollback of flight restrictions, reducing them from 6% to 3% at 40 major U.S. airports starting today. The change is part of an effort to restore normal operations following the impacts of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Although the shutdown ended on Wednesday, air traffic control facilities have not yet returned to full stability. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that restrictions will be lifted gradually as safety metrics improve. According to KBTX, Duffy has not released specific safety data but noted issues including near collisions, runway incursions, and pilot reports regarding air traffic controller responsiveness.
During the 43-day impasse, air traffic controllers missed two paychecks, which led to increased absences and pushed some unpaid employees to take second jobs. This staffing disruption prompted the FAA to begin limiting flights, starting with a 4% reduction that later grew to 6%, with an initial goal of reaching a 10% reduction. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium and flight-tracking service FlightAware indicate that cancellations have been declining, with only 2% of scheduled U.S. departures canceled yesterday.
The flight restrictions caused operational challenges for airlines, with many aircraft being rerouted and ending up out of position. In a statement obtained by KSBW, Airlines for America cautioned that some residual effects could continue for several days. Despite the significant disruption to aviation operations, airline leaders, including Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian, have expressed optimism, noting that “Thanksgiving is going to be a great holiday period of travel.”
Although the FAA’s actions have reduced some of the strain, Portland International Airport is still operating under a 3% flight reduction. The prolonged shutdown has also intensified an existing shortage of air traffic controllers. By the end of the shutdown, approximately 15–20 controllers were retiring each day, and some younger controllers were leaving the field entirely.
