Summary: The federal government’s reopening has eased air travel disruptions caused by the recent shutdown. Cirium reported about 830 cancellations (3.6%) on Wednesday versus 2,630 (10.2%) on Sunday, and FAA staffing triggers dropped to zero as of Thursday. The FAA will lower required slot reductions at 40 airports from 6% to 3% starting November 15. Experts warn a full recovery may take 7–14 days, but the outlook ahead of Thanksgiving has improved.
Travelers Get a Break: Flight Cancellations Fall as Government Reopens Ahead of Thanksgiving
Summary: The federal government’s reopening has eased air travel disruptions caused by the recent shutdown. Cirium reported about 830 cancellations (3.6%) on Wednesday versus 2,630 (10.2%) on Sunday, and FAA staffing triggers dropped to zero as of Thursday. The FAA will lower required slot reductions at 40 airports from 6% to 3% starting November 15. Experts warn a full recovery may take 7–14 days, but the outlook ahead of Thanksgiving has improved.
05:45 AM, 11/15/2025Society
Flight disruptions ease after government reopens
Air travel is beginning to stabilize now that the federal government has reopened after its longest-ever shutdown. Cancellations and delays that disrupted U.S. airports earlier in the month have started to decline, offering relief ahead of the busy Thanksgiving period.
Improving numbers: Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported about 830 cancellations on Wednesday — roughly 3.6% of scheduled flights — down from a peak of about 2,630 cancellations (10.2%) on Sunday. The Department of Transportation and the FAA said staffing "triggers" — a sign a facility is understaffed — fell to zero as of Thursday morning after previously reaching 81 on Saturday and falling to 11 on Tuesday and 4 on Wednesday.
FAA action: The Federal Aviation Administration announced it would reduce the required flight cutbacks at 40 major airports from 6% to 3%, effective November 15, to further ease congestion at the busiest hubs.
Other factors that helped free capacity included a temporary ban on private jets at 12 major airports and the continued efforts of many air traffic controllers who worked through the shutdown despite missed paychecks.
On-time performance: Punctuality has improved: about 90% of flights departed within 15 minutes of their scheduled time on Wednesday, up from 83% on Tuesday and a marked improvement from the worst days of the disruption. FlightAware reported roughly 1,000 cancellations across U.S. flights as of 10 a.m. Thursday — higher than Wednesday but well below the peak levels.
"This is not a rubber band, so it's not going to snap back," aviation strategist Henry Harteveldt said, estimating operations may take 7–14 days to return to normal.
Industry reaction was cautiously optimistic. Airlines for America warned of "residual effects for days," Delta said it is working to restore operations, and American Airlines said it is "well-positioned to recover quickly" thanks to operational choices made during the disruption.
Outlook for travelers: With the government reopened and controllers receiving pay, the air travel system has a strong chance of stabilizing before Thanksgiving — though some delays and cancellations may continue while airlines and airports restore full operations over the coming week or two.