The Transportation Department’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday halted plans to deepen flight reductions at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, citing improved staffing conditions among air traffic controllers as the government shutdown nears an end.
The agency said it will keep the 6 percent reduction in place rather than raising it to 8 percent on Thursday and Friday as previously scheduled.
Newsweek reached out to the White House via email on Wednesday night for comment.
Why It Matters
The directive affects tens of thousands of travelers and the operations of major airlines, particularly as the holiday travel season approaches.
The original order, prompted by air traffic control staffing shortages, underscores the vulnerability of the national airspace system to federal disruptions and highlights the critical role of the controllers, who continue to work without pay. The shortage has triggered widespread travel delays and cancellations, fueling uncertainty about the reliability of air transportation for millions of Americans.
What To Know
Officials pointed to a “rapid decline in controller callouts” after widespread disruptions earlier in the week that intensified pressure to end the shutdown.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in the news release about the plan: “President Trump’s message has been heard loud and clear: controllers will be made whole quickly. The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace.”
Duffy added, “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first. 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.”
The release notes that the FAA order also prohibits certain flight operations—like visual flight rule (VFR) approaches, some commercial space launches, and parachute and photo missions—at affected facilities experiencing staffing “triggers.”
Federal officials note that the original list of the impacted 40 airports has not changed.
What People Are Saying
Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford, in the news release: “Our top priority at the FAA is, and always will be, safety. The data shows that controller staffing is improving rapidly, which allows us to hold flight reductions at six percent while maintaining the highest levels of safety in our airspace. We’ll continue to monitor system performance hour by hour, and we won’t hesitate to make further adjustments if needed.”
President Donald Trump, on Truth Social this week: “All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!! Anyone who doesn’t will be substantially ‘docked.’ For those Air Traffic Controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and didn’t take ANY TIME OFF for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will be recommending a BONUS of $10,000 per person for distinguished service to our Country.
“For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU. You didn’t step up to help the U.S.A. against the FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK that was only meant to hurt our Country. You will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record. If you want to leave service in the near future, please do not hesitate to do so, with NO payment or severance of any kind! You will be quickly replaced by true Patriots, who will do a better job on the Brand New State of the Art Equipment, the best in the World, that we are in the process of ordering. The last ‘Administration’ wasted Billions of Dollars trying to fix antiquated ‘junk.’ They had no idea what they were doing!
“Again, to our great American Patriots, GOD BLESS YOU – I won’t be able to send your money fast enough! To all others, REPORT TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. GOD BLESS AMERICA! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP”
What Happens Next
After the House passed a bill to end the government shutdown, the measure now awaits Trump’s signature. While the reopening is expected to bring relief, full restoration of normal air travel may take additional time as airlines and the FAA recover from the backlogs and staffing gaps.
Update 11/12/25, 9:31 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
