Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will not increase the 6% reduction in flights initially set for Thursday, citing a 'rapid decline in controller callouts.'
The order comes as the government shutdown entered its fourth day, with over 900 flights canceled on Wednesday and more than 2,200 delayed. The cancellations and delays are attributed to federal employees working without pay, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the shutdown persists, airlines may ground their planes, citing the potential for major disruptions this weekend. However, Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu said that once the government shutdown ends, it will take around a week to return air travel operations to normal, and smooth travel is expected over the Thanksgiving holiday.
In response to the FAA's decision, a spokesperson stated that strong staffing levels at air traffic control suggest further reductions are not necessary to ensure public safety. The FAA will continue to monitor staffing levels and review key trends as the federal government reopens.
The order comes as the government shutdown entered its fourth day, with over 900 flights canceled on Wednesday and more than 2,200 delayed. The cancellations and delays are attributed to federal employees working without pay, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffers.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that if the shutdown persists, airlines may ground their planes, citing the potential for major disruptions this weekend. However, Airlines for America CEO Chris Sununu said that once the government shutdown ends, it will take around a week to return air travel operations to normal, and smooth travel is expected over the Thanksgiving holiday.
In response to the FAA's decision, a spokesperson stated that strong staffing levels at air traffic control suggest further reductions are not necessary to ensure public safety. The FAA will continue to monitor staffing levels and review key trends as the federal government reopens.
and what's the true cost of air travel, really? is it just dollars and cents or is it about freedom of movement, access to opportunities... i'm not saying we should be grounded for good, but can't we find a better way to deal with this kind of disruption?
i wonder if they'll actually ground planes like airlines CEO said tho...i hope not cuz im tryna fly to see my fam
, so relieved no more cutbacks in flights lol, was worried it would get crazy 
900+ flights canceled is a lot! 
i mean i get why they dont wanna cut any more but that shutdown is super annoying 
. glad TSA people are still working hard 
, fingers crossed the government shutdown ends soon 
and we get back to smooth flying 
hope everyone's Thanksgiving travel plans don't get messed up 
️ y'all gotta think about what's more important, flights or people getting paid... 900+ cancelled flights is crazy! but at least they're not grounding planes yet, that could be a whole other mess 
. hope everyone can get back to work ASAP, i'm tired of seeing all these delays and cancellations 
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. I mean, flights getting canceled and delayed is already super inconvenient for people trying to travel over the Thanksgiving weekend... but at least airlines are saying it'll take a week or so to get back on track? That's some good news, right? 
And I guess having strong staffing levels at air traffic control does give me a bit of peace of mind that things won't spiral outta control. Still, gotta wonder how this whole shutdown is gonna affect the economy and all... 
! And airlines are worried they might have to ground planes this weekend? No thanks, I don't want to be stuck in traffic (or rather, on the ground) 
. Can we just get back to normal already?! It's already been 4 days and I'm so over this drama 
. But hey, at least the FAA is keeping an eye on things and ensuring public safety... that's what matters most 
. Let's hope everything gets sorted out soon! 
. 6% reduction in flights is already a big deal, but I guess it's better than having even more cancellations 
. Can you imagine flying home for the holidays and getting delayed or canceled? 
. Fingers crossed that it's all sorted out by next week 
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. One minute they're saying it'll take a week to get back on track after the shutdown ends, and the next minute they're warning about major disruptions... can't we just have one straight answer?! 
. But seriously though, hope everything gets sorted out soon. Airlines are talking about grounding planes this weekend? No thanks, just give me a flight and a comfy seat and let's call it a day 
And with TSA staff working without pay, it's not like the air traffic control team is going to magically get more staff overnight... 
900+ cancelled flights on Wednesday? That's just crazy! And now the FAA is saying it's not gonna increase the 6% reduction in flights? Like, I get it, they're trying to prioritize public safety and all that, but what about people who have plans? 
at least there'll be plenty of delicious food to eat while waiting for my flight to take off 
! 6% reduction in flights was already a major bummer, especially with the holidays coming up. Can you imagine having your Thanksgiving plans messed up because of some gov shutdown? 
