Federal Aviation Administration Drops Mandated Flight Reductions as Shutdown Ends
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will no longer require a reduction in domestic flights, effective immediately, amid concerns over air traffic safety easing following the conclusion of the federal shutdown. The move comes after the FAA ordered a 10% reduction in flights at dozens of major airports due to staffing shortages caused by a lack of funding and pay.
The reduced flight schedule was implemented to alleviate pressure on airport and air traffic control staff, but with the shutdown now over, the FAA has lifted its requirements. A three percent reduction in domestic flights remained in place, which is scheduled to be eliminated starting this week.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Sunday saw a significant decrease in cancelled flights at 40 airports, with just 0.25% of scheduled flights being cancelled - significantly lower than usual cancellations on any given travel day.
The FAA had warned that it may take several weeks to restore normal levels of air traffic as it works to restaff airports and air traffic control services across the country. However, with the mandated reduction lifted, airlines can now expect fewer disruptions to their operations. The decision marks a positive development for travelers ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will no longer require a reduction in domestic flights, effective immediately, amid concerns over air traffic safety easing following the conclusion of the federal shutdown. The move comes after the FAA ordered a 10% reduction in flights at dozens of major airports due to staffing shortages caused by a lack of funding and pay.
The reduced flight schedule was implemented to alleviate pressure on airport and air traffic control staff, but with the shutdown now over, the FAA has lifted its requirements. A three percent reduction in domestic flights remained in place, which is scheduled to be eliminated starting this week.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Sunday saw a significant decrease in cancelled flights at 40 airports, with just 0.25% of scheduled flights being cancelled - significantly lower than usual cancellations on any given travel day.
The FAA had warned that it may take several weeks to restore normal levels of air traffic as it works to restaff airports and air traffic control services across the country. However, with the mandated reduction lifted, airlines can now expect fewer disruptions to their operations. The decision marks a positive development for travelers ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
️
, been stuck in traffic waiting for delayed trains and buses for ages 
... would love to hop on a plane or train without worrying about being cancelled 
, i mean its not like we needed this but still glad the shutdown is over and flights are getting back to normal 
, glad they kept the 3% in place though, didnt want it to get too wild 
finally some good news about our skies! i was getting so worried when those mandatory flight reductions started hitting airports 
. it's awesome that the FAA has listened and lifted the requirements, even though we're still a bit behind schedule. i mean, who wants to deal with extra stress when flying for Thanksgiving? 
anyway, this move means airlines can get back to their normal operations, which should be a huge relief for travelers like us 
. now let's see how things play out over the next few weeks... 
still got to check the schedules this week tho 
i heard the fda is recalling all those new meds that were coming out lmao like what's good for us 
anyway back to the faa thing lol they dropped that mandatory flight reduction tho i mean that's a big deal for travelers who are already stressing about thxksgiving and all that 
. It just goes to show that sometimes you have to bend the rules to get back to normal. And hey, who doesn't love a good travel weekend? Just remember, change is always on the horizon, and we gotta roll with it 
!
oh man I was saying this like 3 days ago but then life got crazy 
especially with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend coming up. I'm not saying it's completely back to normal just yet 
especially with Thanksgiving coming up, I was stuck on the tarmac at LAX last yr and it was a nightmare 
. Glad they're lifting that reduction tho, should make travel a bit smoother 