Overview
- The FAA is keeping about a 6% reduction in flights at major hubs to protect safety, and officials warn residual delays and cancellations will persist for several days.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the air travel system should return to normal in roughly a week, aiming to stabilize before the Thanksgiving rush.
- The Department of Transportation expects air traffic controllers to receive about 70% of their back pay within roughly 48 hours, with the remainder arriving next week.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem issued $10,000 bonuses to TSA agents for exemplary service using 2025 carryover funds, and Duffy says President Trump supports $10,000 rewards for controllers who worked through the shutdown.
- At the peak of the disruption more than 2,700 flights were canceled and 10,000 delayed in a single day, and major airlines say they are awaiting FAA approval to fully resume normal operations.