US Flights to Return to Normal After Restrictions Lifted
US flights will return to normal schedules on Monday morning after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted flight reductions that had been imposed during the recent government shutdown. The restrictions, which saw up to 10% of domestic flights cut at 40 of the busiest US airports due to air traffic control understaffing, disrupted thousands of journeys nationwide. The government shutdown, lasting a record 43 days, forced air traffic controllers to work without pay and resulted in increased cancellations, particularly as the Thanksgiving travel rush approaches. President Donald Trump signed a bill to end the shutdown, with the FAA announcing that “normal operations can resume” from 6 am Washington time on Monday. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the focus will now shift to hiring more controllers and modernizing air traffic infrastructure. Over the weekend, flights remained reduced by 3% as airlines […]