US air travel is set to return to regular operations on Monday after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted restrictions that had been imposed during the record 43-day government shutdown.
The FAA announced Sunday evening that “normal operations can resume” across the country from 6:00 am Washington time (1100 GMT) on Monday.
During the shutdown, thousands of flights were cancelled as air traffic control towers operated with limited staff. At 40 of the busiest airports, domestic flights were reduced by 10 percent due to a shortage of controllers working without pay.
The aviation sector faced additional strain when former President Donald Trump threatened to dock pay for controllers who called in sick, accusing them of being “unpatriotic.”
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Over the weekend, flights remained slightly curtailed—down three percent—although some airlines reportedly did not comply fully with the FAA’s restrictions.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the lifting of limitations allows the government to focus on “surging controller hiring and building the brand new, state-of-the-art air traffic control system.”
The resumption of normal flight schedules comes just days before a significant increase in travel for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27, raising expectations of a smooth travel period for millions of passengers.
