FAA Lifts Flight-Cut Order, Airlines Back To Normal Schedules

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Sunday that it is rescinding all flight-cut restrictions that had been imposed across 40 major U.S. airports during the recent 43-day government shutdown. Beginning Monday at 6 a.m. EST, commercial airlines may return to their full, pre-shutdown schedules.

Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford issued a joint statement confirming the decision. They cited improved staffing levels in air traffic control and a sharp decline in “safety-trigger events” as the basis for lifting the restrictions.

The original order, which went into effect on November 7, required flight reductions that began at 4% and rose to 6% at the busiest airports, including hubs in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. By Friday, the FAA had trimmed that down to 3%, reflecting steady improvements in controller staffing.

Over the weekend, cancellation rates dropped dramatically — according to analytics firm Cirium, fewer than 1% of flights were canceled, a marked improvement compared to earlier in the shutdown. These trends prompted the FAA’s safety team to recommend a full rollback of the restrictions after conducting “detailed reviews of safety trends.”

Still, the FAA noted in its announcement that it is investigating reports of some carriers not complying with the earlier order. Enforcement options remain under review.

Airline leaders welcomed the move, expressing optimism that operations will rebound just in time for the busy Thanksgiving travel window.