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15h ago

FAA Ends Shutdown Flight Caps, Restoring Normal Schedules at 40 Major Airports

Officials cited improving controller staffing after the 43-day shutdown as the reason to end the emergency curbs.

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.
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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

  • Airlines may resume regular schedules starting at 6 a.m. ET Monday after the FAA terminated its emergency order affecting 40 major airports.
  • The agency said staffing-trigger events fell from a record 81 on Nov. 8 to single digits over the weekend, supporting the decision to lift limits.
  • Mandated reductions began at 4% on Nov. 7, rose to 6%, were frozen below a planned 10%, then were cut to 3% before being fully rescinded.
  • The FAA is reviewing reports that some carriers failed to comply with the caps and noted potential fines of up to $75,000 per non-compliant flight.
  • Cancellations peaked on Nov. 9 with more than 2,900 flights cut, and leaders say attention now turns to controller hiring and air traffic control modernization.