Following weeks of turbulence caused by the now-ended federal shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it will freeze nationwide flight cancellations at 6%, halting further cuts that had been scheduled to reach 10%. The move affects 40 of the busiest U.S. airports, where airlines had already been trimming schedules to manage reduced staffing.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters in Washington that the decision reflects "encouraging progress in restoring staffing and operational safety," noting that more air traffic controllers have returned to work since federal pay resumed. The FAA said it will maintain the 6% ceiling "until system stability is confirmed."
The shutdown, which began on Oct. 1 and stretched into mid-November, disrupted the aviation network as thousands of FAA employees were either furloughed or forced to work without pay. Rising absenteeism among controllers caused cascading delays and cancellations, forcing the agency to order schedule reductions at major hubs including New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas.
Industry data show cancellations have fallen sharply—from several thousand daily flights at the peak of the shutdown to fewer than 1,000 on Wednesday. Airlines are gradually restoring routes, though mismatched crew schedules and repositioning of aircraft continue to slow recovery.
Transportation analysts told national media outlets that while the FAA's decision signals confidence in staffing improvements, the system remains fragile. They expect disruptions to persist for at least another week as operations normalize ahead of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
For passengers, officials recommend monitoring airline apps and flight status updates closely. With the system capped at a 6% reduction, the next several days will be key to determining whether America's air travel network can truly return to full strength before the holiday surge.
