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51m ago

FAA Ends Emergency Flight Caps at 40 Major Airports

The agency cited a sharp drop in staffing-trigger events driven by controllers returning after the shutdown.

An American Airlines plane takes off near the air traffic control tower at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Image
A traveler near a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. The havoc plaguing the US travel industry will likely escalate Tuesday when tighter federal restrictions on flights take effect, even while lawmakers move closer toward ending the government shutdown. Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg
Travelers at San Francisco International Airport. The FAA lifted nationwide flight limits Sunday, allowing SFO, Oakland and other major airports to resume normal operations after the shutdown.

Overview

  • Effective 6 a.m. ET Monday, the FAA terminated its emergency order, allowing carriers to resume normal schedules at the affected hubs.
  • The shutdown-era cuts began at roughly 4%, were capped at 6%, then eased to 3% late last week before being fully lifted.
  • Staffing-trigger events fell from a record 81 on November 8 to just one on Sunday as controllers returned to duty and partial back pay reached employees.
  • The rescission also ends temporary limits on some visual approaches, general aviation at certain airports, parachute activities, and commercial space launches.
  • The FAA is reviewing reports that airlines did not consistently comply with the mandated caps and is assessing enforcement options, with potential fines of up to $75,000 per flight; airlines expect to ramp up ahead of Thanksgiving though some recovery time is likely.