U.S. airlines are working to steady operations after the federal government reopened late Wednesday, ending a 43-day shutdown that caused widespread delays and thousands of cancellations across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration said flight reductions at 40 major airports will remain at 6 percent, reversing earlier plans to increase cuts to 10 percent by the end of the week. The decision follows what officials described as a “rapid decline” in air traffic controller callouts.
Airlines Prepare for a Slow Ramp-Up
Airlines for America welcomed the reopening, saying getting federal aviation employees back on the job after the shutdown will help carriers rebuild schedules ahead of Thanksgiving, though things cannot be restored to business as usual immediately.
“We are preparing for record Thanksgiving travel, with some 31 million passengers expected, and the busy shipping season is coming up,” Airlines for America (A4A) President and CEO Chris Sununu said. “However, airlines cannot flip a switch and resume normal operations immediately after a vote—there will be residual effects for days.”
American Airlines said it is positioned to recover quickly after taking steps to limit disruptions during the shutdown.
“Our goal throughout this has remained unchanged: take care of our customers and limit disruption to their travel plans as much as possible,” CEO Robert Isom said, noting the efforts of crews and federal workers who continued operating without pay.
Industry analysts told CBS News that a full recovery will take time, with aircraft and crews still displaced and schedules planned months in advance.
Sheldon Jacobson of the University of Illinois said the process will be more like “turning a dial” than “flicking a switch,” estimating it may take weeks for normal patterns to resume.
Controller Staffing Shapes Outlook
Controller staffing remains the driving factor behind flight limits. Many controllers missed two paychecks during the shutdown, and callouts increased as workers balanced stress and outside jobs.
DOT officials told reporters that callouts have since dropped sharply, allowing the FAA to maintain the current 6 percent cap while monitoring trends. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said any move toward normal operations will depend on safety assessments, emphasizing that decisions will be “guided by data.”
Meanwhile, consumer behavior continues to shift. ABC News reported nearly 20 percent of travelers have canceled or changed Thanksgiving plans, with hotel industry surveys showing many have already spent or lost money due to earlier disruptions.
The system relies on precise coordination and that early days after the shutdown may still see delays as airlines and airports reset.
“Once that rhythm is broken, it won’t bounce back overnight,” Julian Kheel, founder of flight search engine Points Path, told CBS News.
In addition to the ongoing 6 percent restriction on scheduled flights, it appears that restrictions on general aviation flights at several major airports remain in place as of Thursday morning.
0 replies