Particle.news
Download on the App Store

FAA Freezes Flight Reductions at 6% After Shutdown Ends, Slow Return Underway

Officials say limits will lift once safety metrics show sustained improvement with stable staffing.

Overview

  • Congress passed a funding bill that President Donald Trump signed, ending the 43-day shutdown.
  • DOT and the FAA froze mandated cuts at 6% across 40 major airports, halting a planned rise to 10% and giving no end date.
  • Officials report fewer controller callouts as backpay begins flowing—about 70% within days for controllers—and some TSA officers received $10,000 bonuses.
  • Flight disruptions persist, with more than 10,100 cancellations since the cuts, even as Delta, Southwest and others say operations should largely normalize within days.
  • A Senate aviation hearing on Nov. 19 will probe shutdown impacts and long-term fixes as the FAA confronts a controller shortfall of roughly 3,000–3,500 and aging systems flagged by the GAO.