FAA freezes flight reductions at 6% as staffing levels improve, airlines working to resume normal operations

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American Airlines and Delta planes on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in the Queens borough of New York, US, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Some relief for fliers as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says now that the government shutdown has ended, flight reductions are expected to stay at 6% at 40 major airports across the U.S. 

The backstory:

Last week, the FAA ordered domestic airlines at 40 major U.S. airports to reduce operations to ease demand on control towers, which were short-staffed during the shutdown.  Air traffic controllers went unpaid and are required to work during a government shutdown.

On Wednesday evening, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and FAA issued an emergency order freezing flight reductions at 6% amid a "rapid decline" in air traffic controller callouts. It replaces the previous order which would have seen the cuts rise to 10% on Friday.

"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," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. "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."

"Our top priority at the FAA is, and always will be, safety," said Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford.

What they're saying:

American Airlines says it's ready to resume full operations

American Airlines in a statement says it is ready for the busy holiday travel season and looking forward to serving its customers. 

"I am proud of how our team responded and remain truly grateful for the federal aviation workers who faced challenging conditions for weeks without pay, all to get our customers where they needed to go safely, " said American’s CEO Robert Isom. "Our goal throughout this has remained unchanged: take care of our customers and limit disruption to their travel plans as much as possible. We’re ready for business and looking forward to serving customers with a full schedule, especially in advance of the Thanksgiving and year-end holidays."

Delta expects to resume normal operations in a few days

Delta issued a statement Wednesday following the end of the government shutdown saying they are thankful to the federal workers who worked without pay.  The airline says they are ready to resume operations in the next few days.

"Delta appreciates the work of the U.S. Congress to reopen the federal government. We are extremely grateful to all the federal workers, including air traffic controllers and officers with the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection who worked without a paycheck for more than 40 days to keep our skies safe and secure ​– and to Delta people who went above and beyond to take care of our customers and government workers during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. We look forward to bringing our operation back to full capacity over the next few days and delivering the premium experience our customers expect as we look ahead to the holiday season."  

Southwest says its operations strong

In a statement, Southwest Airlines says the FAA reductions were a challenge, but its operations remain strong and employees remain focused on serving its customers.

"While the FAA’s mandated flight reductions have challenged the entire industry, our People have once again set the standard. You’ve stayed focused, adaptable, and committed to running a safe, reliable operation even when the environment around us was anything but easy," said Southest Chief Operating Officer Andrew Watterson. "The good news is—and I want to emphasize this—as of yesterday, we’re seeing real progress, and air travel appears to be returning to normal. Our operation remains strong, and Customers can continue to count on Southwest.