Overview
- President Donald Trump signed H.R. 5371 to end the 43‑day shutdown, allowing the FAA and TSA to restart full operations.
- The FAA cut required domestic flight reductions from 6% to 3% and reported better controller attendance as traffic flows improve.
- Flight data showed progress, with Cirium logging a 2% cancellation rate Friday (540 flights) and FlightAware tallying 635 cancellations and 2,359 delays.
- Officials and airline leaders project a return toward normal operations ahead of Thanksgiving, though staffing gaps and residual disruptions could persist for days.
- Impacts remained concentrated at hubs including Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, Newark, Dallas Fort Worth and Denver, and experts advise using airline apps, favoring early flights and reviewing insurance purchased before the shutdown.