{"id":384305,"date":"2025-11-17T02:57:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-17T02:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/384305\/"},"modified":"2025-11-17T02:57:13","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T02:57:13","slug":"faa-lifts-restrictions-on-commercial-airlines-from-shutdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/384305\/","title":{"rendered":"FAA lifts restrictions on commercial airlines from shutdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Federal Aviation Administration said Sunday it is lifting all\u00a0restrictions on commercial flights<\/a> that were imposed at 40 major airports, including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, during the country\u2019s longest government shutdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Airlines can resume their regular flight schedules beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, the FAA said.<\/p>\n

The announcement was made in a joint statement by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.<\/p>\n

Citing safety concerns as staffing shortages grew at air traffic control facilities during the shutdown, the FAA issued an\u00a0unprecedented order<\/a>\u00a0to limit traffic in the skies. It had been in place since Nov. 7, affecting thousands<\/a> of flights across the country.<\/p>\n

Impacted airports included large hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Atlanta.<\/p>\n

The flight cuts started at 4% and later grew to 6% before the FAA on Friday rolled the restrictions back to 3%, citing continued improvements in air traffic controller staffing since the record\u00a043-day shutdown ended<\/a>\u00a0on Nov. 12.<\/p>\n

The number of flights canceled this weekend was at its lowest point since the order took effect and was well below the 3% cuts FAA was requiring for Saturday and Sunday. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed that less than 1% of all flights were canceled this weekend. The flight tracking website FlightAware said 149 flights were cut Sunday and 315 were canceled on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The FAA statement said an agency safety team recommended the order be rescinded after \u201cdetailed reviews of safety trends and the steady decline of staffing-trigger events in air traffic control facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The statement said the FAA \u201cis aware of reports of non-compliance by carriers over the course of the emergency order. The agency is reviewing and assessing enforcement options.\u201d It did not elaborate.<\/p>\n

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. Conditions began to improve throughout last 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.<\/p>\n

The agency had initially aimed for a 10% reduction in flights. Duffy had 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.<\/p>\n

Air traffic controllers were among the federal employees who had to continue working without pay throughout the shutdown. They\u00a0missed two paychecks<\/a>\u00a0during the impasse.<\/p>\n

Duffy hasn\u2019t 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\u00a0runway incursions<\/a>\u00a0and pilot concerns about controllers\u2019 responses.<\/p>\n

Airline leaders have expressed optimism that operations would rebound in time for the Thanksgiving travel period after the FAA lifted its order.<\/p>\n

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