Overview
- Congress passed funding and President Donald Trump signed the bill to end the 43‑day shutdown, restoring federal pay and services.
- The DOT and FAA issued an emergency order holding mandated reductions at 6% for 40 major airports, halting a planned increase to 10% while safety teams review data.
- Controller callouts have dropped sharply, with FAA staffing triggers falling from 81 on Nov. 8 to four on Wednesday, and controllers set to receive about 70% of back pay within 24–48 hours.
- Cancellations and delays are declining after days of mass disruptions, with more than 10,100 flights canceled since the cuts began, according to FlightAware.
- Airlines expect roughly 31 million Thanksgiving travelers and say operations could be near normal within days to about a week, though experts warn residual delays may linger as crews and aircraft are repositioned.