Key Takeaways
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- FAA will lift the 6% nationwide air-traffic reduction at 6 a.m. ET Monday.
- The move follows improved staffing trends after weeks of unpaid work during the shutdown.
- Airlines warn full normalization will take several days, with crews and schedules still disrupted.
- Thanksgiving travel expected to hit a record 31 million passengers.
- Federal transportation workers to receive back pay and potential $10,000 bonuses for service during the shutdown.
Traffic Cuts Removed After Shutdown Deal
The FAA announced it will eliminate the 6% flight-traffic cap imposed last week as the government shutdown strained staffing and safety operations. The rollback begins early Monday, enabling airports to gradually resume normal activity following weeks of cancellations and delays.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said safety metrics and staffing improvements supported the decision.
Airlines Expect Multi-Day Recovery
Despite the lifted restrictions, airlines say returning to full operations will take time. Crew rotations, aircraft repositioning, and congested schedules remain challenges, especially with the Thanksgiving surge approaching.
Airlines for America expects 31 million travelers over the holiday period, adding pressure to already stretched operations.
Shutdown Fallout: Staffing Shortages and Restrictions
During the shutdown, unpaid FAA controllers and TSA officers increasingly called out or took temporary jobs, leading to severe staffing gaps. The FAA responded by:
- Cutting traffic 10% at 40 major airports
- Restricting private aviation and business jet access
- Limiting commercial space launches and parachute operations
These caps were later dialed back to 6% until lawmakers reached a deal to end the shutdown.
Pay and Bonuses Coming for Federal Workers
Officials said controllers will receive 70% of missed pay within two days of the shutdown’s end and the remainder within a week.
The administration also pledged $10,000 bonuses for TSA agents and other transportation workers who maintained exemplary attendance. In Boston alone, over 270 TSA agents qualify.
