On November 12, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that airlines would only need to reduce flights by no more than 6% at these airports, thanks to substantial improvements in air traffic controller staffing over the past few days. The initial order, which took effect on November 7, mandated an increase in flight cuts to 8%, potentially reaching 10%.
Numerous air traffic controllers missed work while working without pay during the shutdown, leading to a surge in understaffing at airport control towers and regional centers, which triggered the flight cut order due to safety concerns. The existing shortage of several thousand controllers was exacerbated by even a modest number of absences in certain locations.
FAA and Transportation Department officials did not provide updates Thursday morning on when the order might be lifted. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the decision will rely on safety data being closely monitored by FAA experts.
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The airlines have expressed readiness and anticipate that normal operations will resume within three to four days after the order is lifted. However, some experts warn that challenges might persist longer and could impact Thanksgiving travel, making it challenging to determine if airlines will rebound as swiftly as they typically do following significant snowstorms that disrupt operations and displace planes and crews.
To minimize disruption to major hubs, airlines concentrated their cuts on smaller regional routes. By Thursday afternoon, slightly over 1,000 flights had been canceled nationwide. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, nearly 95% of all flights that day were punctual.
“We are eager to return to normal operations in the coming days once the FAA gives the all-clear. We look forward to welcoming a record 31 million passengers on our flights during the upcoming Thanksgiving travel season, starting next Friday,” stated the Airlines for America trade group on Thursday.
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Duffy mentioned that controllers and other FAA employees would receive 70% of their back pay within 24-48 hours following the end of the shutdown, with the remainder to be disbursed over the next few pay periods. The financial strain on controllers prompted some to seek additional jobs to meet their expenses, causing some to miss work due to stress.
Last Saturday, staffing shortages peaked as 81 different FAA facilities reported low worker counts, necessitating further flight cancellations by airlines. By Thursday morning, however, the FAA reported no staffing warnings at any airports or radar facilities nationwide.
There were discussions about providing both air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers with $10,000 bonuses for their work during the shutdown. Duffy suggested that bonuses might be reserved for controllers who did not miss a shift during that period, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated she intended to award bonuses to any officers who went “above and beyond” while working unpaid. At a news conference on Thursday, she distributed several dozen checks to officers.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and Chief Operating Officer David Seymour informed employees in a letter Thursday that they were already noticing improvements as controller staffing stabilized over the past day, although additional flight cuts will be required until FAA lifts the order. Travelers should expect to see fewer delays and cancellations on the day of their flights.
Both executives expressed confidence that American Airlines’ planning and efforts to reduce disruptions would enable the airline to recover quickly and “deliver a strong Thanksgiving operation,” emphasizing that millions of travelers “deserve certainty.”
