Airlines across the United States have spent the week reinstating regular operations after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formally ended its emergency flight-reduction order on Monday.
The order, introduced during the government shutdown, had forced carriers to cut services at dozens of airports as air traffic control staffing levels fell to critical levels.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford confirmed last week that the restrictions would be lifted on 17 November, following a marked improvement in staffing and safety indicators.
Staffing pressures ease
The FAA said its safety team had recommended terminating the order after “detailed reviews of safety trends” and a sustained fall in staffing-trigger incidents – moments when shortages require operational restrictions.
Administrator Bedford said the move reflected “the steady decline in staffing concerns across the National Airspace System”, adding that the agency could now “return to normal operations”.
Staffing triggers, which peaked at a record 81 on 8 November, dropped sharply in the days leading up to the decision: six were recorded on 14 November, eight on 15 November and just one on 16 November.
As a result, limits placed on some general aviation activity at 12 airports, as well as caps on visual-flight-rule approaches at facilities experiencing staffing shortages, have now been removed.
Airlines scrutinised over compliance
The FAA said it was aware of reports that some carriers may not have fully complied with the emergency measures and confirmed it is reviewing potential enforcement options.
The emergency order had been one of several steps introduced during the shutdown to manage severe staffing shortages, which had disrupted air traffic control operations nationwide.
Thousands of flights cancelled
At the height of the shutdown, the FAA ordered airlines to cut flights by 6% at 40 airports, with plans to increase the reduction to 10%. However, a later review narrowed the cut to 3% from 15 November.
More than 10,000 flights were cancelled during the crisis, causing widespread disruption to passengers and air cargo supply chains. The US Airforwarders Association (AfA) urged policymakers to reverse the cuts swiftly once the shutdown ended on 13 November.
With the emergency measures now lifted, carriers are working to rebuild schedules and stabilise operations ahead of the busy holiday travel period.
Credit: caasint.com
