FAA lifts order slashing flights, allowing commercial airlines to resume their regular schedules
Share this @internewscast.com

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Sunday its decision to lift all commercial flight restrictions previously enforced at 40 major airports due to the nation’s longest government shutdown.

Airlines are set to return to their standard flight operations starting Monday at 6 a.m. EST, as confirmed by the agency.


Passengers wait in a crowded airport lounge, some sitting on the floor or with luggage, many looking at phones.
Regular flight schedules will resume on Monday at 6 a.m. EST. Stephen Yang for the New York Post

This update was delivered in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.

Amid growing safety concerns from staff shortages at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA had implemented an unprecedented order to manage air traffic. This order, effective since November 7, disrupted thousands of flights nationwide.

Key airports impacted included major hubs such as those in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.

Initially, flight reductions began at 4% and escalated to 6%. However, on Friday, the FAA scaled back these restrictions to 3%, attributing the rollback to ongoing improvements in air traffic controller staffing following the historic 43-day shutdown.

The FAA statement said an FAA safety team recommended the order be rescinded after “detailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.”

The statement said the FAA “is aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.” It did not elaborate.

Cancellations hit their highest point Nov. 9, when airlines cut more than 2,900 flights because of the FAA order, ongoing controller shortages and severe weather in parts of the country. But conditions began to improve throughout the week as more controllers returned to work amid news that Congress was close to a deal to end the shutdown. That progress also prompted the FAA to pause plans for further rate increases.

The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said worrisome safety data showed the move was necessary to ease pressure on the aviation system and help manage worsening staffing shortages at air traffic control facilities as the shutdown entered its second month and flight disruptions began to pile up.

Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They missed two paychecks during the impasse.

Duffy hasn’t shared the specific safety data that prompted the cuts, but he cited reports during the shutdown of planes getting too close in the air, more runway incursions and pilot concerns about controllers’ responses.

Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Tennessee officers rescue woman considering jumping from bridge on day after Christmas

Heroic Tennessee Officers Save Woman from Bridge in Post-Holiday Rescue

This article addresses the topic of suicide. If you or someone you…
Freezing temperatures, wind will bring 2025 to an icy end

Brace for a Chilly New Year: 2025 to Conclude with Freezing Temperatures and Strong Winds

The start of the new year will mirror the anticipated conclusion of…
Manhunts across America in 2025: Five cases that left cities, campuses and towns on edge

Nationwide Manhunts in 2025: Five High-Profile Cases That Gripped Cities, Campuses, and Towns

This year, across the nation, fugitives transformed peaceful neighborhoods, rural communities, and…
Camila Mendoza Olmos: Texas teen missing since Christmas Eve believed to be in imminent danger, sheriff says

Urgent Search for Texas Teen Camila Mendoza Olmos: Missing Since Christmas Eve and Considered in Imminent Danger

A Texas teenager has been missing since Christmas Eve, last seen leaving…
Malcolm's Memories: She Loved Books So Much She Opened a Little Library

Book Lover’s Dream: How One Woman’s Passion for Reading Sparked a Neighborhood Library

Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of meeting some truly…
Creative Cypher enters new era with first woman president of the entertainment powerhouse company, Cindy Beasley

Creative Cypher Ushers in a New Chapter with Cindy Beasley as its First Female President

In a significant move heralding a new chapter, Creative Cypher, the pioneering…
Police sergeant denies hearing Luigi Mangione mother's alleged damning statement about CEO killing

Police Sergeant Refutes Claims of Overhearing Key Testimony in CEO Murder Case Involving Luigi Mangione’s Mother

A San Francisco police sergeant has clarified that he was not the…
Flu season 2025: Subclade K variant known as 'Super K' showing fast flu symptoms amid holiday gatherings

Flu Season 2025: ‘Super K’ Variant of Subclade K Rapidly Spreads Symptoms During Holiday Gatherings

This flu season is intensifying at an alarming rate, health officials warn,…
GTA 5 actor says person who sent law enforcement to his house has been convicted

Justice Served: GTA 5 Actor’s Swatter Convicted After Startling Home Incident

In a recent turn of events, Ned Luke, widely recognized for voicing…
What is lake effect snow?

Exploring Lake Effect Snow: Understanding the Phenomenon and Its Impact

Forecasting lake effect snow is a captivating yet daunting task for meteorologists.…
In Presser With Zelensky, Trump Reveals the One Issue That's Holding Up a Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal

Trump Unveils Key Obstacle in Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks During Zelensky Press Conference

President Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky wrapped up their meeting on…
Long Island man stabbed roommate to death in fight: cops

Fatal Altercation on Long Island: Man Charged in Roommate’s Stabbing Death

In a tragic turn of events on Long Island, a young man…