The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced a reduction in mandatory flight cuts at U.S. airports during the recent government shutdown. The current flight restrictions have been downgraded from 6% to 3%, even though the record-breaking 43-day shutdown ended on November 12.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has emphasized that these restrictions will remain in place until staffing levels at air traffic control facilities stabilize and safety metrics improve. The unprecedented order, which has been in effect since November 7, impacted thousands of flights across the country.
With air traffic controllers going unpaid for more than a month, many faced financial hardships and had to take on side jobs. The flight cuts initially started at 4% and later increased to 6%. The FAA had originally targeted a 10% reduction, but officials held off on further increases as more controllers returned to work amid reports that Congress was nearing a deal to end the shutdown.
During the impasse, air traffic controllers missed two paychecks. Although Secretary Duffy has not disclosed specific safety data prompting the flight cuts, he referenced reports of planes coming too close to each other in the air, an increase in runway incursions, and pilot concerns about controllers’ responsiveness.
These flight restrictions quickly disrupted airline operations, causing many flights to be rerouted and delayed. Airlines for America, the trade group representing U.S. airlines, warned of potential residual effects lasting several days. While some experts predicted the problems could persist longer, airline executives remained optimistic that normal operations would resume promptly ahead of the busy Thanksgiving travel period.
The nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers is not a new issue, but the shutdown drew increased attention to the problem and likely exacerbated it. Secretary Duffy noted that by the end of the shutdown, 15 to 20 controllers were retiring each day, with some younger controllers leaving the profession altogether.
https://whdh.com/news/faa-takes-first-steps-to-restore-flights-after-shutdown-strain-but-some-limits-remain/
