Flight Disruptions Persist After Shutdown Ends as Airlines Warn Recovery Will Be Gradual

Air travel disruption continues despite end of government shutdown

Air travel problems carried on Thursday after the government shutdown formally ended, with tracking site FlightAware reporting more than 1,000 U.S. flights canceled by 5 p.m. ET. The Department of Transportation said late Wednesday that 6% of scheduled flights at 40 of the nation's busiest airports would remain canceled on Thursday, reversing an earlier plan to raise cancellations to 8%.

Airlines, officials see improvement but urge caution. Delta CEO Ed Bastian told "CBS Mornings" that conditions had already started to improve and that staffing surged nearly overnight once the Senate approved a funding deal. Bastian said, “I think we'll be back a lot faster than people think... the only cancellations that Delta had were the government‑mandated cancellations, which are mostly on our smaller planes. I expect by the weekend we’re pretty much going to be full, full steam ahead.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported a decline in air traffic controller callouts since the weekend and said that trend is encouraging. “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 said. He emphasized that data will guide decisions, adding that safety remains the top priority.

“The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first.” — Secretary Sean Duffy

Operational metrics show progress: Tuesday saw far fewer delays and cancellations than earlier in the week. Air traffic control towers recorded 11 staffing triggers (times when controller levels fell below planned minimums) on Tuesday, compared with 81 on Saturday; Wednesday saw four triggers. Nonetheless, Duffy cautioned that restoring flights cut during the shutdown will likely be gradual because the reductions were phased in over time.

Before reversing cuts, Duffy and FAA safety officials said they will review relevant data, including pilot complaints, incidents where aircraft came too close to one another, and runway incursions.

President Trump signed a government funding package late Wednesday at the White House, formally ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

The uncertainty has left some travelers anxious. “We’re just hoping and praying for the best,” said Marlyn Mayo, who was en route from Washington, D.C., to Dallas–Fort Worth.

Outlook for holiday travel: Airline and federal officials expressed cautious optimism that conditions should continue improving and urged travelers to monitor flight status and allow extra time at airports as operations normalize ahead of the Thanksgiving travel period.