CEO of Elevate Aviation Group, Greg Raiff, explains how the closure could impact holiday flights and what passengers can do to stay ahead of the disruptions.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency order Wednesday evening freezing flight reductions at 6%, amid a “rapid decline” in air traffic controller calls.
Flight reductions were initially implemented as airports and air traffic control towers faced significant staff shortages due to the government shutdown, which President Donald Trump officially ended Wednesday evening.
The order from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said staffing levels have improved, as there were only four staffing triggers on Wednesday compared to 81 on Nov. 8.
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The DOT and FAA have issued an emergency order freezing flight reductions by 6%, while air traffic controller staffing has improved as the government reopens after a 43-day shutdown. (WANG Zhao/AFP/Getty Images)
“Such a strong workforce suggests that further reductions in flights are not necessary to keep the traveling public safe. As the federal government reopens and air traffic controllers receive their back payments, the FAA will continue to monitor workforce levels and assess key trend lines,” the order said.
The 6% freeze will remain in effect until the FAA can confirm it is safe to return to normal operations.
“The FAA safety team is encouraged to see air traffic control workforce increases, and they are comfortable pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace,” Duffy said, adding that “the safety of the American people comes first.”
Bedford echoed these sentiments, stating that the FAA’s top priority “is and always will be safety.”
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According to the DOT and FAA, air traffic controller calls have decreased significantly over the past week, leading to a lower flight reduction freeze. (Mario Tama/Getty Images/Getty Images)
“The data shows that air traffic controller workforce levels are improving rapidly, allowing us to maintain flight reductions at 6% while maintaining the highest levels of safety in our airspace,” said Bedford. “We will continue to monitor system performance on an hour-by-hour basis and will not hesitate to make further adjustments as necessary.”
The new order stated that the list of 40 high-impact affected airports issued last week remains unchanged.
Air traffic control across the country was significantly affected by the 43-day government shutdown, as air traffic controllers worked without pay for weeks in an already stressful, short-staffed environment.
Duffy said the president’s message to air traffic controllers that they “will be healed soon” has been “heard loud and clear.”
Air traffic controllers were among the many federal employees who worked without pay during the 43-day government shutdown. (REUTERS/Bob Riha, Jr/File Photo/File Photo / Reuters)
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Trump has suggested that the auditors who served during the government shutdown without calling, received a $10,000 bonus for their services to the country.
“To those air traffic controllers who were GREAT PATRIOTS, and did NOT take ANY VACATION for the ‘Democrat Shutdown Hoax,’ I will recommend a BONUS of $10,000 per person for outstanding service to our country,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“To those who did nothing but complain and take time off even though everyone knew they would be paid in FULL shortly in the future, I AM NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” the president added.
