The Federal Aviation Administration ended its flight reduction emergency order on Monday, November 17, allowing airlines to resume normal operations. The cut of up to 10% of flights at 40 of the nation’s largest airports was instituted during the government shutdown and subsequent staffing issues for air traffic controllers.
“Today’s decision to rescind the order reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns across the NAS and allows us to return to normal operations,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “I am grateful for the hard work of the FAA safety and operations teams and for their focus on the safety of the traveling public.”
Staffing levels have continued to snap back into place since the end of the government shutdown, the FAA said. The positive trend line continued over the weekend, with six staffing triggers on Friday, November 14, eight on Saturday, November 15, and only one staffing trigger on Sunday, November 16. That’s in contrast to a record high of 81 staffing triggers on November 8.
