FAA announces plans to leave 6 percent flight cut until it can return to ‘normal’ staffing after shutdown
Flights aren’t returning to normal despite government shutdown ending
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says flight reductions at US airports will remain in place despite the government shutdown ending.
- The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a 6% reduction in flights at 40 airports due to a shortage of air traffic controllers.
- The restrictions will remain in effect until airports return to “normal” staffing levels, Duffy said Thursday.
- He said he’s optimistic that flights will return to normal by Thanksgiving as Americans remain concerned about holiday travel disruptions.
- “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first,” Duffy said, adding, “If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations.”